Alcohol Abuse and Aggression: Understanding the Connection

The relationship between alcohol abuse and aggression is complex. Many criminals, for example, were drinking at the time they committed their crimes, but the alcohol was not necessarily the cause of the crimes.

Impulsive Behaviors

• Alcohol may impair the ability of the brain to control impulsive aggression. However, drinking is unlikely to cause aggression by itself; some social factors also need to be present.

Alcohol Abuse and Crime

• A study by J. Roizen published in 1997 found that as many as 86 percent of homicides were committed by people who were drinking at the time of their crimes. Another study, by K. Pernanen published in 1991, found that 42 percent of violent crimes involved the use of alcohol.

Role of Chance

• The fact that a large percentage of crimes involve alcohol does not necessarily mean alcohol caused the criminal behavior. Some of the connection may be because of chance, or because people who are inclined to be aggressive may also be inclined to abuse alcohol.