Alcohol use and crime

This chapter outlines the key areas where alcohol is associated with crime. The strength of this association is borne in the estimated number of arrests involving alcohol. In the United Kingdom an Institute of Alcohol Studies report noted that alcohol was a factor in approximately 50% of crimes (IAS, 2010). Whilst figures are smaller in the United States of America a recent survey of inmates suggested that alcohol is linked to approximately one-third of crimes (Rand, Sabol, Sinclair, Snyder, 2010). Following an overview of the history and study of alcohol and crime, the chapter reviews the links between alcohol and juvenile delinquency. This will be followed by analyses of the association between alcohol and violence with a specific focus upon domestic violence, sexual assault and homicide. The authors also examine the role of alcohol in the night-time economy in the UK and Australia. Finally, we assess the development and control of drink-driving