HOMICIDE IN NEW-YORK-CITY - COCAINE USE AND FIREARMS

Objective.-To determine differences between racial/ethnic groups in ov erall rates of death by homicide, proportion of firearm homicides, and the use of cocaine prior to death. Design.-Descriptive epidemiologic survey of a complete 2-year sample of homicides. Setting.-New York Cit y, NY (population 7 322 564). Subjects.-All residents (N=4298) of New York City who were victims of homicide during 1990 and 1991. Main Outc ome Measures.-Using medical examiner data, age- and gender-specific ra tes of homicide were calculated for African Americans, Latinos, and wh ites. Separate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between demographic variables and both recent cocaine use and firearm-related homicides. Results.-Young African-American and Latino men were more likely to be victims of homicide than all other demographic groups. Approximately three fourths of all homicides invol ved firearms. In the subset of homicide victims dying within 48 hours (n=3890), 31.0% were positive for cocaine metabolites. African America ns (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 2.1), L atinos (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.9), and victims 25 through 34 years of age (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 2.5 to 3.5) and 35 through 44 years of age (O R, 2.7; 95% CI, 2.2 to 3.4) were more likely to be positive for cocain e metabolites than other groups. Young males and females were equally likely to have used cocaine before death. Victims 15 through 24 years of age were more likely than other age groups to be killed by a firear m. African Americans (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3 to 2.3), Latinos (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.0), and Asians (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.6) were mor e likely than whites to be killed by a firearm. Men (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 4.0 to 5.9) were more likely than women to be killed by a firearm. The re was no association between having used cocaine before death and bei ng killed by a firearm. Conclusions.-The high rates of death by homici de among young African Americans and Latinos may be due to the increas ed involvement with both cocaine use and firearms. New efforts must be made to decrease cocaine use and firearm availability.