Underage Drinking: Findings From the 1998-99 Youth Lifestyles Survey

• NCJ Number: 186302
• Author(s): Victoria Harrington
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Research Findings, No. 125

Annotation

This report summarizes findings from that component of the 1998-99 British Youth Lifestyles Survey that queried a sample of 1,790 youth in England and Wales about their alcoholic beverage consumption.

Abstract

Respondents were interviewed at home and entered their answers directly into laptop computers. Findings show that drinking increased with age: 14 percent of 12- to 13-year-olds, 33 percent of 14- to 15-year-olds, and 62 percent of 16- to 17-year-olds had drunk alcohol in the last week. Most 12- to 17-year-olds (84 percent) had drunk an alcoholic beverage at some point in their lives. For most of those aged 12-15, drinking was occasional, i.e., about 1 in 10 reported drinking at least once a week on average. Half of those aged 16-17 drank at least once a week. Beer and lager were the most popular drinks among those under age 18; spirits, wine, and alcopops were also popular. Ethnic minority teens were less likely to drink alcohol. One in 20 nonwhite 12-17-year-olds were frequent drinkers compared with 1 in 4 whites. Those under 18-years-old could not legally buy alcohol themselves, but 63 percent of those aged 16-17 and 10 percent of those aged 12-15 who had drunk an alcoholic beverage in the last year said they usually bought their alcohol themselves, most often in pubs, bars, and nightclubs. Fifteen percent of all 12-17-year-olds had been involved in some form of antisocial behavior during or after drinking, mostly getting into a heated argument. Frequent drinkers were more likely to have behaved antisocially. A higher proportion of offenders aged 12-17 were frequent drinkers (36 percent) than non-offenders (20 percent). The pattern held across the age range; however, it is not possible, based on the survey, to suggest that offending and drinking were causally linked. Most of those under the age of 18 viewed drinking positively, seeing it as a means of socializing with friends (62 percent). More than half said young people liked getting drunk. Increasing self-confidence was also an important benefit of drinking as reported by the youth surveyed. 2 figures, 2 tables, and 4 references