ALCOHOL ABUSE IS KNOWN TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENT OR DEVIANT ACTS, ALTHOUGH MANY ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALCOHOL ABUSE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES REMAIN OBSCURE. DATA FOR THIS STUDY WERE OBTAINED FROM ARKANSAS'S DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THE ENTIRE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 60 CRIMINAL OFFENDERS FROM TWO GROUPS: (1) 30 SUBJECTS UNDER 25 YEARS OF AGE, EDUCATIONALLY DEPRIVED, UNEMPLOYED, WHO HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOL AT THE TIME THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED; AND (2) 30 SUBJECTS OVER 25 YEARS WHO HAD COMPLETED AT LEAST THE 10TH GRADE, WERE EMPLOYED, WHO HAD NOT CONSUMED ALCOHOL AT THE TIME OF THE OFFENSE. A 12-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED FOR SAMPLE GROUP DESIGNATION. THE EDWARDS PERSONALITY PREFERENCE SCHEDULE WAS UTILIZED TO DETERMINE VARIATION IN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TWO SAMPLE POPULATIONS. THE YOUNGER PARTICIPANTS WERE FOUND TO BE LOWER IN ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATION AND DEFERENCE AND HIGHER IN INTRACEPTION AND AGGRESSION. ALTHOUGH THE STUDY DID NOT PROVE CONCLUSIVELY THAT THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE INCREASE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, RESULTS INDICATE THAT SOCIETY MUST PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES TO BOTH INMATES AND CITIZENS TO HELP REHABILITATE INMATES AND PREVENT ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG THE YOUNG. REFERENCES AND A TABLE ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)