Jonatan Hedlund1, Johan Ahlner2, Marianne Kristiansson3, Joakim Sturup3. 1. National Board of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, PO Box 4044, SE-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: jonatan.hedlund@rmv.se. 2. National Board of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, Artillerigatan 12, SE-587 58 Linköping, Sweden; Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden. 3. National Board of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, PO Box 4044, SE-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous research on the toxicology of homicide has shown that about half of offenders and victims have psychoactive substances in their blood. The purpose of this study was to examine this topic in a Swedish setting. METHODS: Toxicological data were sought in a database for all victims (n=273) and perpetrators (n=257) of homicide in Sweden from 2007 to 2009. Sufficient tests were identified for 97.1% of all victims (n=265) and 46.7% of all offenders (n=120). Additional information was obtained from court records and police reports. RESULTS: A majority of individuals involved in homicides displayed positive toxicology (57.0% of victims and 62.5% of offenders). The most commonly detected substances, in both victims and offenders, were ethanol (44.9% vs. 40.8%) and benzodiazepines (8.3% vs. 19.2%). The difference between offenders and victims concerning benzodiazepines was statistically significant (OR 2.6; p=0.002). Perpetrators of homicide–suicide had a lower prevalence of positive toxicology (30.8%) than other homicide offenders (67.3%; p = 0.01) [corrected] and victims in unsolved cases more often exhibited positive drug toxicology compared to victims in solved cases (36.1% vs. 8.3%; p < 0.001) corrected. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study support the notion that substance abuse is firmly linked to committing homicide and to becoming a victim thereof.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous research on the toxicology of homicide has shown that about half of offenders and victims have psychoactive substances in their blood. The purpose of this study was to examine this topic in a Swedish setting. METHODS: Toxicological data were sought in a database for all victims (n=273) and perpetrators (n=257) of homicide in Sweden from 2007 to 2009. Sufficient tests were identified for 97.1% of all victims (n=265) and 46.7% of all offenders (n=120). Additional information was obtained from court records and police reports. RESULTS: A majority of individuals involved in homicides displayed positive toxicology (57.0% of victims and 62.5% of offenders). The most commonly detected substances, in both victims and offenders, were ethanol (44.9% vs. 40.8%) and benzodiazepines (8.3% vs. 19.2%). The difference between offenders and victims concerning benzodiazepines was statistically significant (OR 2.6; p=0.002). Perpetrators of homicide–suicide had a lower prevalence of positive toxicology (30.8%) than other homicide offenders (67.3%; p = 0.01) [corrected] and victims in unsolved cases more often exhibited positive drug toxicology compared to victims in solved cases (36.1% vs. 8.3%; p < 0.001) corrected. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study support the notion that substance abuse is firmly linked to committing homicide and to becoming a victim thereof.
Authors: Gustav Nilsonne; Sandra Tamm; Armita Golkar; Karolina Sörman; Katarina Howner; Marianne Kristiansson; Andreas Olsson; Martin Ingvar; Predrag Petrovic Journal: R Soc Open Sci Date: 2017-03-08 Impact factor: 2.963
Authors: Melissa Willoughby; Jesse T Young; Katie Hail-Jares; Matthew J Spittal; Rohan Borschmann; George Patton; Susan M Sawyer; Emilia Janca; Linda Teplin; Ed Heffernan; Stuart A Kinner Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-12-03 Impact factor: 3.295