Perceptions Of Alcohol Consumption: An Examination Of Undergraduate Students' Perception Of Harmful Alcohol Consumption As A Social Problem And Its Relationship With Crime

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2008-08-08T02:31:11Z

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Criminology & Criminal Justice

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The role of law enforcement in the United States has evolved such that police officers are expected to be problem solvers as well as crime fighters. To that extent, the author begins this study as a broad examination of a social problem that plagues the United States on a day to day basis and ultimately focuses more specifically on social problems locally. It is understood that alcohol-related offenses are the leading cause of negligent deaths in the United States but the problem goes deeper than most realize. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine undergraduate students' perceptions of harmful alcohol consumption as a social problem and specifically its relationship with crime. Research indicates that alcohol misuse costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year, yet alcohol consumption is a social norm. The prediction is that by addressing problems associated with alcohol consumption, law enforcement can have an impact on social problems pervasively related to harmful alcohol consumption. These problems may include alcohol-related deaths due to motor vehicle collisions, homicide and other violent crimes, family violence, and underage drinking.

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