The results indicate that hazardous industrial manufacturing enterprises are not more heavily segregated into minority neighborhoods. However, non-Hispanic whites are relatively more segregated from such industries given their already low segregation from all industries. Our findings appear to lend support to the opportunity exclusion model for blacks and Hispanics. It does appear that these disenfranchised minority groups are less likely to be located in the same area of an MSA as industrial manufacturing employment opportunities. Yet, the Hispanic population is more similar to the non-Hispanic white population in terms of access to high employment industry in many of the MSAs that we studied.
Regional findings are of considerable interest.
Blacks are least segregated from all industries in the South and West, yet, relatively more segregated from high employment industries. In contrast, they are relatively less segregated from hazardous industries in the West, but remain relatively more segregated from such industries in the South. Hispanics are least segregated from all three types of industry in the South and West. They are also, not surprisingly, less relatively segregated from high employment industries in these two regions. Hispanics are substantially less relatively segregated from hazardous industries only in the East.