Intoxication by alcohol is sometimes viable as a partial or complete defense in certain criminal cases. Rulings and laws concerning such a defense are generally based on beliefs held by the American public and criminal justice system about the behavioral effects of alcohol. Recent psychological research, however, has yielded evidence indicating that alcohol may not always influence behavior as expected or believed in American society. In this article the relevant psychological research and case law are reviewed and then compared. In some cases, the research appears to validate legal rationale, but in others research findings challenge present views on intoxication as a criminal defense. Implications are discussed and suggestions offered for better synchronizing judicial treatment of the intoxication defense with psychological research.
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