Robert Merton's theory of 'social structure and anomie' is used as a starting point for the hypothesis that racial residential segregation will exhibit positive associations with rates of criminal violence in the suburbs. Regression analyses based on samples of suburban regions in 1970 and 1980 generally support this hypothesis. The more racially segregated suburban areas are characterized by relatively high rates of suburban criminal violence. The results underscore the utility of considering racial residential segregation as an independent variable with important consequences for metropolitan communities. (Author abstract)