If you work with the public, there are two things you need to know about alcohol and violence…
First: Alcohol is the most violent drug
Most people—including law enforcement—think that “hard drugs” like meth are worse than alcohol.
Nope.
According to the data, alcohol is most closely associated with violence.
That isn’t to say that hard drugs don’t increase rates of violence. Alcohol is just extra bad.
In fact, research suggests that aggressive behavior begins to increase around .075 blood alcohol level.
This is below the .08 legal limit for driving in 49 out of 50 US states.
Second: Look for “Red Flags”
In de-escalation, I teach people to look for “red flags” that indicate the person is more likely to be violent.
I’m only aware of one red flag that is unique to alcohol: Aggressively refusing small (politely worded) requests.
In my experience, a person who aggressively refuses an of these is more likely to be dangerous:
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- Will you please talk a little quieter inside?
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- Would you please stop cussing around families?
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- Would you mind removing your hat inside?
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- Would you please talk to me over here (away from other people)?
My Recommendation
Make sure your request is polite. This includes the words you use (i.e. “please”) but also includes body language and tone of voice.
A rude request will often get an aggressive refusal from sober people!
If an intoxicated individual aggressively refuses your polite request, that is a red flag.
If you have a lot of experience/training in de-escalation: Proceed with extreme caution.
If you don’t have a lot of experience/training in de-escalation: Proceed with security staff or law enforcement.
Have an epic week!
Peace,
Ryan
