ALCOHOLIC COMPONENT OF HOLIDAY HOMICIDES, RUSSIA, 2000-2017
We investigated homicides on holidays in Russia based on their daily numbers in 2000-2017 (total 449.4 thousand). As an indicator of alcohol consumption during the holidays, daily data on deaths from alcohol poisoning for the same period of time were used (total 516.9 thousand). With the exclusion of the holidays there were 67.1 homicides per day on the average in Russia. Seven major holidays in the country are shown to be accompanied by a significant increase in homicides. The maximum rise is on the New Year. There are 243 homicides more than on the average during the New Year holidays (hereinafter additional homicides). On January 1 alone there are 152 additional homicides. On other holidays this figure ranges from 10 to 62 of additional homicides. In 2000-2017 the total number of additional homicides during the holidays was 2592 of deaths per year. The daily distribution of homicides on the holidays highly correlates with the distribution of deaths from alcohol poisoning: all seven holidays have identical muximums, with the highest on January 1. This suggests that alcohol abuse is the main factor behind the increase in holiday homicides. As alcohol consumption declines since 2004, the number of additional homicides during the holidays is decreasing as well, and this is another evidence of the dependency of homicides on alcohol abuse. To further reduce this figure, measures to decrease alcohol consumption on holidays are needed.