AEC's were developed in England to provide alternatives to custodial sentencing, fines, deferred sentencing, and cautioning. They have expanded in number in the past 8 years, and more than 471 AEC's have been completed throughout England and Scotland. AEC's offer a range of techniques from didactic information-based courses to nondirective discussion courses to behavioral skills packages. Abusive alcohol consumption and the problem of offending are the main course targets. AEC's may be an effective alternative to custodial sentencing since they address the problem directly. The evaluation of alcohol education services is crucial to their further implementation, and initial findings from controlled evaluation research are promising. Research on the efficacy of self-help manuals, both in individual and group settings, is also required. 55 references. (Author abstract modified)