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Drug use among homicide victims. Changing patterns

J C Garriott1

  • 1Bexar County Forensic Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229-4565.

The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
|September 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Toxicology screens of homicide victims revealed high rates of alcohol and drug use. Cocaine detection significantly increased from 1985 to 1991, while heroin use remained low.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Public Health
  • Criminal Justice

Background:

  • Toxicology screens are crucial in determining the role of substances in mortality.
  • Understanding substance prevalence in homicide cases informs public health and law enforcement strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in drug and alcohol use among homicide victims in Bexar County.
  • To quantify the prevalence of specific substances, including alcohol, cocaine, and heroin, over a defined period.

Main Methods:

  • Toxicology screens were conducted on deceased individuals from Bexar County homicides.
  • Data were collected for four representative years: 1985, 1986, 1990, and 1991.
  • Analysis focused on the detection rates of alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs.

Main Results:

  • A high positivity rate for drugs and/or alcohol (66-73%) was observed annually.
  • Alcohol was detected in over half of the cases (54.2-60.3%).
  • Cocaine detection surged from 1.6% in 1985 to 18.7% in 1991, while heroin use remained consistently low (2-5%).

Conclusions:

  • Substance abuse, particularly alcohol and increasingly cocaine, is a significant factor in homicide cases.
  • The rising trend of cocaine use warrants attention from public health and criminal justice agencies.
  • Consistent low levels of heroin suggest different patterns of opioid abuse in this population.

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