This table shows that while alcohol does not always cause crime, it can be a significant contributive factor to crime being committed. The table above shows what legislation is in use nationally to combat alcohol related crime and disorder. The question of the link between alcohol, aggression and violent crime is widely regarded as a matter for particular concern, as it is this type of alcohol related crime that has, potentially, more serious, more long term effects for the victims and contributes to public disorder or lawlessness in the community. However, research shows that it is difficult to prove the existence of a causal relationship between alcohol and violent crime. Researchers caution against conclusions drawn from analyses confined to aggregate data 4 and stress the need for controlled clinical investigation to establish the true nature of the link.
Findings indicate that other co-factors play a significant role in alcohol related aggression.
A recent Home Office review of research concludes that the fact that situational and cultural variables can affect the relationship between alcohol and aggression suggests that there is not a direct pharmacological link between alcohol and violent behaviour. Instead it is more likely that alcohol increases aggression by influencing the social and cognitive processes 6 . The All Party Group on Alcohol Misuse identified the question of the precise nature and extent of the link between alcohol and crime as an outstanding issue and noted that among the bodies it consulted, there was universal agreement that it would be beneficial to clarify this relationship and understand more about how it works 7 . However, the Group placed greater emphasis on the need to take practical steps to alleviate the problem . This approach is confirmed in Alcohol Concern s Proposals for a National Alcohol Strategy which focuses on the cross-agency consensus on the substantial adverse impact 8 of alcohol misuse on crime levels as a useful starting point for action to tackle the issue.