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Homicides committed by abusers of alcohol and illicit drugs
Author(s) -
LINDQVIST PER
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1991.tb01785.x
Subject(s) - homicide , psychiatry , alcohol intoxication , injury prevention , suicide prevention , poison control , damages , psychology , occupational safety and health , medicine , medical emergency , law , political science , pathology
This paper concerns 52 abusers of alcohol and 19 abusers of illicit drugs who had committed a homicide in northern Sweden between 1970 and 1981 or in Stockholm between 1971 and 1980. Twenty‐three individuals were found guilty of murder, 21 of manslaughter and 27 of assault and causing another's death. The study group was characterized by a high prevalence of personality disorders, alcohol‐induced brain damages and social derangement. Alcohol intoxication during the acts was seen in all cases of alcohol abusing offenders. Most of the victims were abusers themselves, were (ex‐)partners or acquaintances of the offenders and had been drinking together with their killer. Homicides where the victim seemed to have been the prime aggressor constituted almost half of all instances. The homicides committed by abusers of illicit drugs were characterized by less intimacy and the offenders were often considerably younger than their victims.