In a much publicized attempt to reduce “alcohol-related” crime and disorder, the Government of England and Wales radically reformed the licensing of alcohol and introduced a range of other measures designed to curb problematic drinking. At the heart of the Government’s strategy there appears to be a paradox. Extending licensing hours has given individuals more choice about when and where they drink. Yet, at the same time, the Government has encouraged the concerted enforcement of alcohol-related crime by the police and other agencies. The Government contended that both policies were part of a comprehensive strategy that rested on the assumption that liberalization would lead to staggered closing, which would reduce crime, as well as make it easier to police what alcohol-related crime remained, as it would be spread out over a longer time frame. It is difficult to know whether the Government was responding to a popular belief that alcohol-related violence was getting worse or whether this belief grew out of the Government proposing new strategies to combat this type of offending. The strategy introduced became open to criticism. What this article sought to do is consider why the Government decided to respond to what is an enduring law and order problem when it did. Although the proportion of offenders who had been drinking prior to the incident remained high, the actual number of such offenders had, in fact, been falling. Regardless, alcohol-related crime remains a real issue, and the Government deserves credit in its willingness to realize this and respond in a holistic manner. References