NCJ Number
196346
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2002 Pages: 317-325
Editor(s)
Kent B. Joscelyn
Date Published
July 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
In this study a classification system for homicide was devised to examine the role of illicit drugs and alcohol in 722 homicides in Brooklyn, New York, from 1991-1993.
Abstract
Four independent raters using the classification system devised for this study, a structured coding instrument, reviewed police reports, eyewitness reports, court documents, and medical examiner reports. It was found that 29 percent of the homicides were drug-related. And of these the victims were more likely to be male and 25 to 34 years of age, but with no difference by race; 38 percent were found to be a result of the effects of the drug taken; and the balance was found to be due to the effects of drug dealing. This study developed a reliable classification system for homicide which recorded proximal and distal causes of homicide allowing classification of two causes of a homicide. Tables include interater reliability of questionnaire items; all proximal and distal drug-related causes of homicides; characteristics of substance-related homicides; types of substances in pharmacological-related homicides; types of systemic drug-related homicides; and type of distal cause of homicide by proximal cause of homicide. It was found that by treating alcohol and drug abuse and with rigorous police efforts to decrease drug dealing and the presence of guns on the street, a likely decrease in drug-related homicides would occur. It is recommended that the study results indicating that Latin Americans, African Americans, and men were not more likely than whites or women to be perpetrators in drug-related homicides bears further study. References