The research also addressed the characteristics of the homicides reported to be related to alcohol use, other drugs used by the respondents, and the conceptual framework in which these alcohol-related homicides can be placed. The analysis focused on 52 cases in which the offender believed that the homicide he committed was related to his alcohol use at the time of the incident. Over half these cases involved a dispute or argument. In most cases, the respondent believed the alcohol lowered his inhibitions or made him feel aggressive and violent; nearly half these respondents had also used some other substance, usually marijuana. The authors conclude that these findings support the development of programs or policies that would focus criminal justice resources on controlling alcohol use in situations otherwise conducive to violence; such programs might include enhanced penalties for criminals who offend while under the influence of alcohol and strict enforcement of State laws governing the sale of alcohol to minors. Most alcohol-related homicides occurred within a psychopharmacological framework. The authors noted that there were various nuances in the ways that alcohol and homicide were related, for example, within the context of drug dealing and economic motivation. 5 tables, 1 note, and 36 references