Posted on January 5, 2012

Both alcohol consumption and criminal activity are a troubling occurrence among adolescents, and both are linked with more significant problems as an individual matures into adulthood. Alcohol used for recreation in adolescence may transition into alcohol addiction in adulthood, and crimes like vandalism in adolescence can transition into more serious offenses.

While the connection between alcohol use and criminal activity (including victimization) has been studied and documented among adults, there has been little exploration of the relationship between alcohol use and crime among adolescents. A new study published in the March 2012 edition of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research provides insight into how the two factors interact.

Corresponding author Michael T. French is a professor of health economics from the University of Miami. French and colleagues found that there was a strong connection between alcohol use and both the commission of crimes and victimization, and the pattern was consistent in male and female participants.

French explained that the information provided by the study is helpful because those who commit lesser crimes in adolescence, such as shoplifting, are much more likely than other individuals to become criminals as adults. In the past, says French, research has focused on the connection between illicit drugs and criminal activity, but the new findings provide more information for effective intervention.

The research team used data from four time periods of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, one of the few sources for longitudinal data on alcohol consumption and criminal acts.

In their analysis of the data, the researchers hoped to answer a few key questions, such as whether alcohol consumption can have an effect on whether a person becomes a victim or a perpetrator involved in a crime. They also questioned more specific aspects, like whether alcohol consumption has a more significant effect when it comes to property crimes versus other types of crime. The researchers also wanted to know if the effects were the same for males and females, and whether frequency or severity of alcohol use affected the outcomes.

The researchers found that across both genders, there was a connection between more frequent alcohol use and a greater likelihood of a property crime being committed. In addition, with more frequent alcohol use, an individual was also more likely to both be a perpetrator and a victim of a predatory crime. The researchers reported that though the relationship pattern discovered was not a surprise, the strength of the connection was more significant than predicted.