ALCOHOL AVAILABILITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among sociod emographic variables, alcohol outlet density, and rate of domestic vio lence in New Jersey. Data were obtained for the 223 largest municipali ties in the state and were examined using factor analysis and bivariat e and multivariate analyses. Three sociodemographic factors were extra cted through factor analysis. These explained 58% of the variance amon g municipalities in rates of domestic violence. One factor-termed soci al disadvantage-explained the greatest amount of unique variance (42%) . Alcohol outlet density added nothing to the sociodemographic model a nd did not interact with any of the three sociodemographic factors. Th e findings show that, in the state of New Jersey, higher levels of alc ohol outlet density are not geographically associated with higher rate s of domestic violence. These findings may be due to limitations in th e data sets employed in the study, limitations of the macrolevel analy sis employed, and/or the complex nature of the relationship between al cohol use and domestic violence.