Abstract: The paper examines the influence of the real price of beer on violence-related injuries across the economic regions in England and Wales. The data are monthly frequency of violent-injury collected from a stratified sample of 58 National Health Service Emergency Departments 1995-2000. An econometric model based on economic, socio-demographic and environmental factors was estimated using panel techniques. It is shown that the rate of violence-related injury is negatively related to the real price of beer, as well as economic, sporting and socio-demographic factors. The principal conclusion of the paper is that the regional distribution of the incidence of violent injury is related to the regional distribution of the price of beer. The major policy conclusion is that increased alcohol prices would result in substantially fewer violent injuries and reduced demand on trauma services.

Abstract: Alcool et violence. Savoir si l’alcool incite de manière générale à des actes de violence ou si les personnes fondamentalement enclines à la violence ont une tendance plus forte à consommer de l’alcool est une question encore sans réponse. Mais les faits sont là: l’alcool et la violence vont souvent de pair.