Racial Hate Crime and COVID-19: A Multinomial Choice Study in the US

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a dual shock to the economy and health system, the sentiments of uncertainty and insecurity have exacerbated the racial inequalities in the United States - contributing to the rise of antagonistic racial tension. Using hate crime data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this study implemented a Multinomial Logistic Regression to analyse the marginal probability of different races committing hate crimes. It is found that all races except for African Americans tend to target African Americans as victims of a racial hate crime. This study reveals the racial inequality and discrimination that existed in the United States, providing policymakers and public activists with evidence and direction to make efforts.