ON THE ETIOLOGY OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDES - THE ALCOHOL FACTOR

• NCJ Number: 14146
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1974) Pages: 50-53
• Author(s): W S HOLLIS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Northwestern University
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S FILES FOR MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MURDER AND THE INGESTION OF ALCOHOL.

Abstract

DATA ON THE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 50 OFFENDERS AND 372 VICTIMS AT THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE WERE AVAILABLE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFENDERS' AND VICTIMS' INGESTION OF ALCOHOL AND THE OCCURRENCE OF UNPREMEDITATED CRIMINAL HOMICIDE. EIGHTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF ALL CRIMINAL HOMICIDES INVOLVED DRINKING BY EITHER OFFENDERS OR VICTIMS AND 80 PERCENT INVOLVED DRINKING BY BOTH. OF OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS WHO HAD BEEN DRINKING AT THE TIME OF THE HOMICIDE, ALMOST ALL HAD THE SAME BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL. THE STUDY FOUND THAT, IN A DRINKING ENVIRONMENT, THE RISK OF BEING A HOMICIDE VICTIM INCREASES AS THE POTENTIAL VICTIM'S INGESTION OF ALCOHOL INCREASES, PERHAPS MOST OFTEN AS A RESULT OF AN ALCOHOL-INDUCED VERBAL ASSAULT BY THE VICTIM ON THE OFFENDER.