Alcohol Regulation and Crime

62 Pages Posted: 22 Mar 2010 Last revised: 30 Sep 2024

See all articles by Christopher S. Carpenter

Christopher S. Carpenter

Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Carlos Dobkin

University of California, Santa Cruz - Department of Economics

Date Written: March 2010

Abstract

We provide a critical review of research in economics that has examined causal relationships between alcohol use and crime. We lay out several causal pathways through which alcohol regulation and alcohol consumption may affect crime, including: direct pharmacological effects on aggression, reaction time, and motor impairment; excuse motivations; venues and social interactions; and victimization risk. We focus our review on four main types of alcohol regulations: price/tax restrictions, age-based availability restrictions, spatial availability restrictions, and temporal availability restrictions. We conclude that there is strong evidence that tax- and age-based restrictions on alcohol availability reduce crime, and we discuss implications for policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

Carpenter, Christopher S. and Dobkin, Carlos, Alcohol Regulation and Crime (March 2010). NBER Working Paper No. w15828, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1574647

Christopher S. Carpenter (Contact Author)

Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics ( email )

Box 1819 Station B
Nashville, TN 37235
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/kittcarpenter/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Cambridge, MA 02138
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Carlos Dobkin

University of California, Santa Cruz - Department of Economics ( email )

Santa Cruz, CA 95064
United States

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