No abstract

These findings suggest that frequency of drunkenness is a better predictor of offending behaviour than frequency of drinking per se. Using frequency of drunkenness as the basis for defining binge drinking reveals that a large minority of young adults who binge drink also become involved in offending or disorderly behaviour. Binge drinking is particularly associated with crimes of violence. The relationship between binge drinking and crime and disorder is stronger among young males than females.

The Research, Development and Statistics Directorate RDS is part of the Home Office. The Home Off i c e 's purpose is to build a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are p roperly balanced and the protection and security of the public are maintained. RDS is also part of National Statistics (NS). One of the aims of NS is to inform Parliament and the citizen about the state of the nation and provide a window on the work and perf o rm a n c e of government, allowing the impact of government policies and actions to be assessed. T h e re f o re-R e s e a rch Development and Statistics Directorate exists to improve policy making, decision taking and practice in support of the Home Office purpose and aims, to provide the public and Parliament with information necessary for informed debate and to publish information for future use.

No abstract

This study reports on some new analysis of the data from the 1998/99 Youth Lifestyles Survey (YLS), which has been undertaken to explore the relationship between alcohol use and offending. The YLS offers a unique opportunity to examine binge drinking and criminal and disorderly behaviour alongside other related lifestyle factors thus providing a more complete picture of alcohol-related behaviour. In conjunction with the statistical analysis, data from in-depth interview with binge drinkers aged between 18 and 24 years of age are presented. These provide a more detailed examination of the experiences of young people who drink in busy entertainment districts. In addition, the young people were asked for their views on how to improve the drinking environment and ultimately reduce the prevalence of alcohol-related incidents. The evidence produced by the YLS, together with the views of the young adults interviewed, indicate that alcohol-related crime and disorder, especially violent crime, is an issue that deserves widespread attention. Findings from this report should be of particular importance in informing policy development.