NCJ Number
155740
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 40 Issue: 3 Dated: (May 1995) Pages: 387-390
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Studies that use medical examiner cases are useful in monitoring drug use in special populations; this study assesses the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE), opiates, and ethanol in all homicide victims who were injured and survived 2 hours or less after injury in 1990 and 1991 in New York City.
Abstract
There were 2,824 homicides in the study period, and cocaine and/or BE were found in 884 (31.3 percent) of cases. In over half of the cases that were positive for cocaine/BE, ethanol or opiates were found. African-Americans and Latinos were much more likely than whites or Asians to be positive for cocaine/BE. There were no differences between men and women in regard to being positive for cocaine/BE. Cocaine/BE was most often identified among victims 25 to 44 years of age. Males were more likely to be positive for ethanol. There were no differences among age groups or ethnic groups in regard to ethanol except for a very low ethanol incidence among Asians. Victims who tested positive for cocaine/BE were more likely to be killed with firearms in open places. The percentage of victims who tested positive for cocaine/BE remains approximately that found by other studies in the late 1980's; however, the percentage of opiate-positive homicides is apparently increasing. Opiates usually were found with cocaine/BE. Two-thirds of the cocaine and/or BE positive cases had cocaine present; thus, they were under the influence of the drug at the time they were injured. The authors discuss how the use of cocaine, ethanol, and opiates may be related to a person's becoming a homicide victim. 3 tables and 27 references