Drinking and Crime

The existence of a relationship between alcohol consumption (drinking) and criminal behavior has been acknowledged for decades by the public at large and by policy makers and researchers in particular. The precise nature of this relationship, however, has not been identified. As many researchers point out, the relationship between alcohol consumption and crime can only be fully understood when placed in social, cultural, and historical contexts.

Because drinking and crime are two complex social phenomena, one must look at the fluctuations in both behaviors ...