Intoxication and Crime Risk: The Effects of “Party” Routines on College Crime Victimization

• In Event: Situational Aspects of Crime and Victimization

Abstract

This study uses a routine activities approach to examine the impact of intoxication on crime risks among college students. The primary purpose of the study is to identify the key predictors of students’ vulnerability to crime, focusing specifically on students’ “party” routines including substances used (alcohol, marijuana, other illicit drugs), frequency of substances used, and where students party, namely at “hot spots” such as bars, parties and sports events. Analyses from a series of logistic regression models, using data from an online survey of undergraduate college students (N=865), show that risks of crime (larceny theft, vandalism, physical attacks, rape, and unwanted sexual contact) significantly increase for students who drink alcohol and use illicit drugs. Further, the odds of experiencing most types of crime more than doubles for students who engage in “extreme” partying, defined as heavy and frequent drinking, often combined with illicit drugs, and for the purpose of “getting wasted.” Yet, for some crimes such as sexual assault, where students party (i.e., at hot spots) is a more significant predictor of vulnerability to crime risk than how much or how frequently students drink or use drugs. The effects of partying on offender motivation and capable guardianship are also discussed.

Authors

• Karen G. Weiss, West Virginia University

• Lisa M. Dilks, West Virginia University