Good article; personal responsibility is a concept which has been submerged under decades of progressive hand-wringing. In a democracy like ours personal rights and responsibilities are fundamental to its success.

On the issue of being drunk or affected by drugs mitigating responsibility, that notion was determined a long time ago by the McNoughton case but there are limited exceptions involving alcohol and drugs where otherwise the simple fact of being drunk or drug affected is not sufficient to plead as a defence:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=XI-3YoVqTyIC&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=McNaughton+defence&source=bl&ots=Aj8LQxSoOz&sig=TAOC7ruEWgw1WTd72zpwI4hpBtI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1F7UUqLdFYvHkAWNm4Fo&ved=0CE0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=McNaughton%20defence&f=false

No one is suggesting "Banning alcohol" but reducing hours alcohol is served.
I think hours should be reduced as well as formally disallowing any defense of the drink made me do it.
Further to this start mandating legal aid defense costs so that trials do not take years to come to court and then weeks to decide. If the sleazy lawyers want to make a point let them pay for it.
It takes four times longer than fifty years ago for justice to be done at a commensurate cost to us and that is a disgrace.

As well as limiting the availability of alcohol, another thing to do would be to ban the flood of bloody conflicts from America 'Inside The Octagon' shown on our television sets!

America's history shows a penchant for violence but why for God's Sake are we allowing these obscene, brutal gladiatorial conflicts so enjoyed by Americans to be shown to our children?

The idea behind the bouts is that someone should be smashed into unconsciousness or have a hold applied that requires submission otherwise a broken limb occurs.

We might as well bring back the gladiatorial contests in Ancient Rome where people were forced to fight to the death.

Perhaps that will be the next step?

Grog increases propensity to violence - because many people drink to feel less inhibited about what they do.

Alcohol is not the problem it's people there should be zero tolerance for violence.

Yes, some people are violent in nature, or perhaps grew up with violence and figure it is a 'normal' part of life.

However, how many times do you hear people saying 'Oh he/she is never 'agro' unless they have a drink in them.'?
Even with domestic violence in the home, the perpetrator is very often reported to be affected by alcohol.

Alcohol may not actually cause the violence, but I would suggest a drunk person would go that one step further when bashing someone, causing severe damage or death, where they ordinarily may have stopped the bashing earlier.

Shut all the pubs and clubs at midnight, and enact stricter laws on establishments that continue serving obviously intoxicated people.