Alcohol and crime:
Figures from the police state that 10 -17 year olds who drink alcohol at least once a week are more likely to become involved in a criminal offence.
Drinking too much alcohol can make you feel angry, and more likely to start fights about things that might not seem important the next day. This is because alcohol impairs our ability to think rationally. You might even be out with friends also drinking who start a fight and ultimately you will end up becoming involved. It is simply not worth the risk; you could end up getting in trouble with the police, severely injure somebody and yourself.
Sadly, but true, the British Medical Association states that alcohol is factor in:
- 75% of stabbings;
- 70% of beatings; and
- 60-70% of murders.
Even if you do not end up in ‘serious trouble’, you may feel the effects of having a criminal record for many years to come.
What might seem like harmless fun under the influence of alcohol could make it very difficult for you to get a job in the future and make international travel difficult.
This might not sound too important now, but you wouldn’t want to miss out being able to afford a holiday with your mates or even be prevented from being allowed into another country simply because you made a bad decision whilst under the influence of alcohol.
Informing young people about the dangers of alcohol and how it can lead to a life of crime, even unintentionally, forms an important part of our workshops and events.
