It is recognized that such a summary of the available evidence cannot address all relevant issues, but an attempt has been made to achieve a balanced account of current knowledge and thinking. There is no simple theoretical model which adequately explains a relationship between alcohol and violence. While a statistical relationship between alcohol and violence has been posited, the vast majority of drinking episodes do not involve violence, and most violence does not involve drinking. Certain patterns of drinking, such as binge drinking, seem to be more closely associated with violence and other social problems. The challenge is to distinguish between catalytic and associative factors.
Violence is expressed in many different ways and in many different fora.
In most societies, violence is usually considered mainly from a criminal justice perspective. Such measures are imposed after the event and sustain an image of violence as something to be controlled, not prevented. A number of research findings have undermined the validity of the negative approach and suggested a possible role for positive, prevention-oriented strategies. For example, it has been shown that the claim for an association between imprisonment and reduced criminal violence does not hold in all societies and at all times. Finally, incidence rates for violence differ within societies across time and show marked geographic variation.