Developmental Sequences and Comorbidity of Substance Use and Violence

Abstract

Throughout the world, violence is among the leading causes of death for people age 15–44 years (Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi, & Lozano, 2002). Uniformly, alcohol and drug use are risk factors that are associated with violence within this age group. In fact, alcohol use is implicated in about half the incidents of violent crime (Murdoch, Pihl, & Ross, 1990).