THE INMATES, WHO RANGED IN AGE FROM 15 TO 64 AND IN SENTENCE DURATION FROM 7 DAYS TO LIFE, INCLUDED 2,704 (54 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL SAMPLE) WHO SAID THAT THEY HAD CONSUMED AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE WITHIN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO COMMITTING THEIR OFFENSE. THE TOTAL SAMPLE IS GROUPED AS FOLLOWS: (1) 1,074 (21.4 PERCENT) WHO SAID THEY DRANK WITHIN 24 HOURS BUT NOT WITHIN 8 HOURS OF THE OFFENSE BUT WHO FELT THAT DRINKING PLAYED NO PART IN THE OFFENSE; (2) 1,310 (26.2 PERCENT) WHO DRANK WITHIN 8 HOURS OF COMMITTING THE OFFENSE BUT DENIED THAT THE DRINKING HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE OFFENSE; AND (3) 320 (6.4 PERCENT) WHO FELT THAT THEIR DRINKING PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE OFFENSE. THE THIRD GROUP INCLUDED 115 MEN WHO COULD BE DIAGNOSED AS ALCOHOLICS. ON THE BASIS OF THESE DATA AND DATA ON THE DRINKING HABITS OF INMATES AS COMPARED TO FACTORY WORKERS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT DRINKING PATTERNS AMONG PRISON AND NONPRISON POPULATIONS DO NOT DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY. IT IS NOTED THAT THE CHRONIC ALCOHOLIC OFFENDER USUALLY IS MORE OF A NUISANCE THAN A DANGER TO SOCIETY. ALTHOUGH CRIMINALS SOMETIMES USE ALCOHOL AS AN EXCUSE, SERIOUS CRIMES THAT ARE LINKED TO ALCOHOL USUALLY ARE THOSE COMMITTED WHEN THE OFFENDER IS UNDER STRESS AND HAS CONSUMED MORE ALCOHOL THAN HE IS USED TO. CASE EXAMPLES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. TABULAR DATA ARE OMITTED.