Introduction
The present paper looks at the issues of alcohol and the part that this liquid plays in violent crimes and offences in three major countries of the world: the U.K., the United States, and Australia. The paper extensively reviews research studies from a number of sources to investigate the present state of alcohol-related crimes and their possible causes. At the end of the paper, recommendations and suggestions conclude the paper.
Alcohol-Related Crimes
It is only at present day context that alcohol and drug use is viewed as a social problem. It was not this way in the past. Different drugs have been used for medication since ancient times. However, in the nineteenth century they were seen as a problem and were condemned. Alcohol came to notice this very while (Bennett, and Holloway, 2005, pp. 15-16). There are number of crimes with which alcohol is seen associated. These crimes are, however, other than drink driving and drunkenness: two cases of offence in which excessive drinking is the crime. There is great public concern with regard to alcohol-related crimes. Roughly 70% of crime audits in England and Wales published in years 1998 and 1999 had the mention of alcohol as an issue in crimes, more importantly in the matters of public disorder. The term “alcohol-related crime” is usually used to refer to offences that involve a blend of offences of criminal damages, drunk and disorderly and other offences that are related to public order. The very term also involves young males who typically belong to an age group from 18 to 30 years of age. The third concept that stands with it is when there is offence and disorder in the areas of entertainment in towns and city centers. Apart from this, there are other areas in which offences and crimes are linked to alcohol but which do not necessarily fall in the context of the three conditions noted above. In the UK, the Police Superintendents have come to show their concerns related to alcohol-related crimes that at present half of all crimes occur just because there is alcohol involved. A 1990 study in the same country revealed that as the consumption of beer increased, it became the single most critical factor in explaining the growth in crimes. Furthermore, a huge volume of research indicates that massive numbers of victims of violent crimes are either drinking or found to be under the influence of alcohol while the assault happened. A very recent study conducted from April 2004 to March 2005 found that 37% of all offenders were found with a current problem with the use of alcohol; and that 37% (the equal proportion) were detected as with binge drinking problem; and that 47% of them had, in the past, misused alcohol; 32% showed violent behavior with relation to their use of alcohol; whereas 38% were detected to carry a criminogenic need which was related to misuse of alcohol, more likely to be related to their risk of being reconvicted. Research has also found that in three-quarters of domestic violence instances (73%) alcohol was consumed; it was a “feature” in 62% of the cases (almost two-thirds). Half of the offenders of domestic violence were dependent on alcohol. British Medical Association related that alcohol plays to be a factor in homicide cases from 60% to 70%; in stabbing it is 75%; in the cases of beatings it is 70%; domestic assaults and fights it is 50% (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2008).
All seen, what is worth mentioning is that in UK the whole picture is confusing due to inconsistent data relation in different domains and departments. For example, it is possible that police record may show a reduced number of cases whereas it is possible that the cases were more than the ones reported. In addition, police figures can also provide a false state of the direction of different trends in criminal activities. British Crime Survey is viewed to underestimate the number of criminal events taking place in reality. The reason is this survey excludes different crimes against youth who are under 16. However, the survey findings are full of incidents, criminal reports, evidence, and figures that a massive amount of crimes basically had the factor of alcohol in them. The following chart shows BCS survey findings from 1995 to 2006-7 about factor of alcohol in criminal attempts (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2008).
Alcohol and Crime in the U.S.
In the U.S. the picture is not any different from that of the UK though figures might vary. About 1/3 of the convicted criminals in the U.S. under supervision of correctional measures told that they were under alcoholic influence at the time of arrest. Surprisingly the alcohol factor is the cause of more crimes than all other drugs put together. From 1992 to 1995 out of eleven million people victimized in violence, 2.2 million had a perception that the criminals were under the influence of alcohol. Other figures that call for deeper probing and investigation with regard to crimes, offence, and violation and the use of alcohol by the offenders in the U.S. present an alarming situation. The particular area of trouble in the U.S., however, is domestic violence in which 2/3 of cases involve alcohol in violent victimization. Further, 3 quarters assault cases in spousal instances have alcohol as the basic factor. Drug and other factors are much less than what alcohol factor alone presents the situation to be. As such, concerns are being strongly raised with regard to domestic violence in the U.S. and their link with alcohol. Research suggests that in the U.S. 70% of the cases of offence that involved alcohol took place within a residence and 10% further cases took place in a restaurant or bar. Hence it is emphasized that strategy be built with relation to these particular settings and alcohol (Travis, 2000).
The situation in Austria presents a similar challenge for authorities when it comes to the factor of alcohol and criminal activities. According to recent research, (by Australian Centre for Policing Research and other departments) criminals especially juveniles who have drug use history regularly consume alcohol and other drugs. The factor of alcohol is very much manifest in detecting the crimes they committed (NSW Government, 2008).
Alcohol and Crime in Colleges
In the year 1995, there were reportedly 463,000 (31%) of cases that were related to the use of alcohol. However, 90% of these alcohol-related cases that involved college students took place off their campus. The very critical condition goes as follows:
“Per capita arrest rates for alcoholic beverage law violations (including prohibited manufacture, sale or possession of alcohol and maintaining illegal drinking places but excluding public drunkenness and driving-related offenses) are highest at public, four-year colleges. Per capita arrest rates for alcoholic beverage law violations (including prohibited manufacture, sale or possession of alcohol and maintaining illegal drinking places but excluding public drunkenness and driving-related offenses) are highest at public, four-year colleges”.
In addition, there are a number of both public and private universities where alcohol education programs have been given acute attention due to the increasing crime rate in relation to the use of alcohol. According to a survey, 59% of public sector universities in the U.S. and 43% of the private colleges in the same country conduct such programs to reduce the likelihood of the use of alcohol that is consequently seen to the catalyzer of crime (National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 1998).
Moreover, the U.S. Department of Justice Report on Alcohol and Crime came to a finding that the issue of alcohol as a factor in crime was 40% of violent criminal activities and offences attempted in the U.S. If we compare this present state of crime and alcohol use, we find that in 1983 the per capita arrest rate was almost 34% lower than what it is now in the country (Buddy, 2003).
Conclusion
In the above examination of cases, research findings, and surveys from three countries, i.e., the UK, the U.S. and Australia clearly show that there is dire link between violent crimes and offences and use of alcohol. The more important thing today, hence, is to seriously address this issue. The particular instances in which the alcohol-related crimes occur must study so that offenders and offenders-to-be can be oriented about the evils of alcohol and crimes committed under its influence. The governments of such countries must make sure that this factor is reduced in the future.
Works Cited
Bennett, T., & Holloway, K. (2005). Understanding drugs, alcohol and crime. Maidenhead: Open University Press, England, pp. 5-25.
NSW Government (2008). Alcohol related crime. Web.
National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, (1998). FYI: Alcohol and crime. 2008. Web.
Buddy, T (2003). Crime and alcohol: alcohol a factor in 40 percent of violent crimes. 2008. Web.
Travis, J. (2000). Alcohol and crime: new strategies for crime prevention. 2008. Web.
Institute of Alcohol Studies (2008). Alcohol and crime: IAS factsheets: Web.