NCJ Number
226408
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 67-88
Date Published
February 2009
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between alcohol, firearms, and intimate partner (IP) homicide.
Abstract
Results suggest that alcohol purchases are a reliable predictor of IP homicide and IP firearm (IPF) homicide; the variable provides a good proxy for consumption that might be very useful in future research. Alcohol sales increase IP homicide generally, and IPF homicides specifically. IP homicide increased generally, and IPF homicides increased significantly in counties with higher percentages of firearms ownership. Finally consistent with the previous research, it was found that the highest incidence of IP and IPF homicides occurred in the South and the West. Firearm ownership and laws restricting firearm access, all of which vary greatly across the country, provide useful and reliable predictors of lethal intimate violence. However, users of these measurements should be mindful of their geographical limitations. Generalizing from one part of the United States to another could cause problems for policymakers. Data were collected from the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR), the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Police Foundation, and the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS) survey. Tables, figures, notes, and references