Published August 1997 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd The Criminal Connection to Alcohol
Too often I come across news reports about alcohol-related crimes. Examples of such disturbing accounts range from domestic violence and child abuse to maniacal homicides. Each time I learn about another of these news stories I am reminded that alcohol's connection to crime is yet another tragic aspect of the damage that this drug -America's favorite-- inflicts on our nation. Findings from several studies identify alcohol as a factor in a significant proportion of violent and aggressive crimes. According to the Center for Alcohol and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, alcohol -- not illegal drugs -- is the substance most commonly used in connection with murder, rape, and other violent crimes. And, in a nationwide survey of state prisons, more inmates reported being under the influence of alcohol than of illicit drugs when they committed their crimes. Among those in prison for homicide or assault, about 4 in 10 federal and state inmates were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime. There is also a correlation between the rate of violent crime in an area and the number of nearby vendors of alcohol. That correlation probably evokes no surprise in anyone who has come across a crumbling, crime-ridden inner-city neighborhood -- like many in Washington, D.C. -where youths stand idly on street corners swilling from brown paper bags, or stagger around in drunken stupors shouting obscenities at passersby. Statistics indicate that there is likely to be a higher number of shops peddling alcohol in such neighborhoods than in crime-free locations. It would seem, then, as some critics of alcohol have suggested, that one easy, common sense action that communities can take to help address violent crime would be that of better zoning to prevent a proliferation of liquor stores and bars and the easy availability of this "legal" drug. West Virginia is consistently ranked as one of the nation's safest, most crime-free states. Thankfully, our state does not have violent crimes in the same high numbers as most states, or, unfortunately, as the nation's Capital. But we cannot be lulled into a false sense of security that we are immune from the problems of crime. Clearly, if we wish to protect the high quality of life we enjoy in West Virginia, we should invest some thought and effort into holding back the rising tide of crime. Discouraging the use of alcohol in our communities would be a good place to start. August 27, 1997