A Statistical Analysis of Alcohol Availability and Violent Crimes in the State of Alabama

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the availability of alcohol at the county level and show its effects on violent crime rates in the state of Alabama. The sample for this study consisted of 66 Alabama counties, rates of violent crime were gathered from the 1999, 2000, and 2001 Uniform Crime Report (UCR). Other demographic data was collected from the 2000 Census and the 2000 study on religious congregations and membership in the U.S. The wet or dry status for each county was obtained from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. This research provides statistical evidence that the availability of alcohol has a significant effect on the rate of violent crimes committed in a given county. The statistical significance of the findings and implications for future research are discussed.