Alcohol and crime in China

This study examines the pattern of alcohol involvement across violent and p roperty crimes in China. We describe and discuss the cultural and biologica l differences between Chinese and Westerners concerning alcohol and the fea tures of Chinese culture concerning violence. Drawing upon the disinhibitio n perspective in alcohol and crime, a specific hypothesis derived from the sociocultural context of Chinese society is that alcohol is more likely to be involved with violent crime than with property crime. Using data from a survey of inmates in China, we assess this hypothesis and the possible vari ables that may moderate this hypothesis. The data support the hypothesis th at disinhibition is applicable to the alcohol-violence relationship in Chin ese culture. However, the predicted pattern of alcohol use in violent and p roperty crimes does not vary across different offender groups, which is inc onsistent with some United States research. A tentative explanation is prov ided for this inconsistency.