Alcohol Involved in Homicide Victimization in the US

Alcohol was present in a significant proportion of homicide victims in the United States. Nearly 40% of the victims had a positive blood alcohol content.

Alcohol consumption in linked to homicide but, there is no recent study on alcohol involvement in homicide victimization in the United States. A new study examines how alcohol is involved in homicide victimization and what socio-demographic, and other factors may be predictors.

Researchers accessed data from the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System, which looks at personal and preceding circumstances – including blood alcohol content (BAC) – of violent deaths. Records from 17 states for 2010-2012 were analyzed to identify factors associated with the odds of homicide victims having a BAC equal to or greater than 0.08 percent.

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‘Alcohol was present in a significant proportion of homicide victims in the United States. About two-thirds had blood alcohol content greater than or equal to 0.08%.’

Results showed that alcohol was present in a significant proportion of homicide victims in the United States: among all homicide victims, 39.9% had a positive BAC (including 26.2%, about two-thirds, who had a BAC of greater than or equal to 0.08%, the legal limit for drunk driving).

Predictors of homicide victims having a BAC equal to or greater than 0.08% included being male (which doubled the risk), being of American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic race/ethnicity, and having a history of domestic violence.

The authors recommend additional research on linkages between state-level alcohol policies and alcohol-involvement by both perpetrators and victims of homicide.

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Source-Newswise

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