Illegal Acts Committed by Adolescents Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol consumption is significantly associated with physical violence.

“epidemiological and experimental studies alike have demonstrated a significant association between alcohol consumption and physical violence (Bushman 1997; White et al. 2002; Felson et al. 2008)”

Alcohol misuse and aggression often arise from shared genetic, neurobiological, and environmental vulnerabilities.

“Both behaviors often arise from shared genetic, neurobiological, and environmental vulnerabilities and can mutually increase risk, creating a vicious spiral in which alcohol misuse and aggression reinforce one another over time.”

Adolescent alcohol use predicts adult aggression.

“adolescent alcohol use predicts adult aggression (Fergusson et al. 1996a; Windle 2000; White et al. 2002; Tarter et al. 2004; Zucker et al. 2008; Sher et al. 2011)”

The association between aggression-related psychopathologies and alcohol misuse can be partly explained by shared vulnerabilities, including genetic predispositions and socio-environmental factors such as early trauma, family dysfunction, and socioeconomic adversity.

“This association can be partly explained by shared vulnerabilities, including genetic predispositions and socio-environmental factors such as early trauma, family dysfunction, and socioeconomic adversity (White et al. 2002).”