Intimate partner homicide: relationships to alcohol and firearms

An overwhelming proportion of intimate partner (IP) homicide perpetrators are under the influence of substances when the crime occurs, and alcohol consumption is a strong predictor of intimate terrorism of women. In IP homicide, female victims are twice as likely to die from a gunshot wound as from...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Roberts, Darryl W. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2009
In: Journal of contemporary criminal justice
Year: 2009, Volume: 25, Issue: 1, Pages: 67-88
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
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Summary:An overwhelming proportion of intimate partner (IP) homicide perpetrators are under the influence of substances when the crime occurs, and alcohol consumption is a strong predictor of intimate terrorism of women. In IP homicide, female victims are twice as likely to die from a gunshot wound as from stabbing, strangling, or other methods; and firearm ownership is shown to increase the likelihood of IP homicide by a factor of 5.38. Compiled from publicly available data sources, the present study analyzes a database of all lethal events occurring in the U.S. from 1985 to 2004. Using a panel of counties and negative binomial regression, the influences of alcohol and firearms, controlling for other variables, on IP homicide and IP homicide by firearm are estimated. Alcohol consumption and firearm ownership increase both the incidence rates of IP homicide and IP homicide by firearm. However, highly restrictive firearms carry laws also increase the incidence of IP homicide. IP homicide is strongly influenced by alcohol and firearms availability, but some types of firearms carry laws might be counterproductive in decreasing the incidence of this crime.
ISSN:1552-5406
DOI:10.1177/1043986208329771