Alcohol-Related Crime and Disorder
Findings from the 2003 Offending, Crime and Justice Survey
The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (Cabinet Office, 2004) highlighted the costs to society of alcohol-related crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour. It placed particular emphasis on the problem of binge drinking which was defined as ~Qdrinking to get drunk~R. This report investigates further the relationship between alcohol consumption and offending amongst young adults.
Title: Findings from the 2003 Offending, Crime and Justice Survey - Alcohol-Related Crime and Disorder
Author: Sian Matthews and Anna Richardson
Series: Home Office Findings 261
Date published: June 2005
Number of pages: 6
Availability: Download full report 
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Key points
Prevalence of binge drinking
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44% of young adults (18- to 24-year-olds) were identified as binge drinkers (i.e. they felt very drunk at least once a month). This group was more likely to binge drink than any other age group. Young males were more likely to binge drink (49%) than young females (39%).
Binge drinking and general offending
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Binge drinkers were more likely to offend than other regular drinkers. Among 18 - to 24 - year-olds, 27% of binge drinkers admitted they had committed an offence in the past 12 months compared with 13% of other regular drinkers.
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Young male binge drinkers were more than twice as likely to commit a violent offence (16%) than other young male regular drinkers (7%).
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Young adult binge drinkers committed a disproportionate amount of the total number of crimes. 18- to 24-year-old binge drinkers accounted for only 6% of the total adult sample, but they committed 30% of all crimes reported by adults in the past 12 months, and 24% of all violent incidents.
Binge drinking and criminal and disorderly behaviour during or after drinking
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Criminal and/or disorderly behaviour during or after drinking was again more prevalent among young adult binge drinkers (with the exception of theft) - 63% of all young adult binge drinkers admitted to such behaviour during or after drinking, compared with 34% of other young regular drinkers.
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Young male binge drinkers were much more likely to get into a fight then young females (25% vs. 12%). Young male binge drinkers were much more likely to get into a fight (25% vs. 12%) and damage something (14% vs. 4%) during or after drinking than young female binge drinkers.
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Even after other factors were taken into account, frequency of drunkenness was still an important indicator of criminal and disorderly behaviour during or after drinking. The likelihood of getting into an argument, getting into a fight and damaging something during or after drinking increased the more frequently individuals drink to intoxication.
Getting a copy
Download Alcohol-Related Crime and Disorder full report PDF 100Kb
Last update: Tuesday, August 12, 2008