Violence in and around bars, clubs & pubs:Why it happens, what we know about stopping it,
and what we need to do to know more
Ross HomelGriffith Institute for Social and Behavioural Research
6th International Conference on
Nightlife, Substance Use &
Related Health Issues
Zurich, June 8, 2010
Violence is a
SERIOUS PROBLEM
Violence is a
SERIOUS PROBLEM
Serious problems deserve a
SERIOUS SOLUTION
Serious problems deserve a
SERIOUS SOLUTION
Serious solutions depend on
GOOD EVIDENCE
Serious solutions depend on
GOOD EVIDENCE
Sponsored by:
The UK Society for the
Study of Addiction
The Pan American Health
Organization
ALCOHOL IS A COMMODITYALCOHOL IS A COMMODITY
�Alcoholic beverages are an important,
economically embedded commodity
�The production and sale of commercial
alcoholic beverages generates:
� profits
� employment
� tax revenues
�Alcoholic beverages are an important,
economically embedded commodity
�The production and sale of commercial
alcoholic beverages generates:
� profits
� employment
� tax revenues
ALCOHOL: NO ORDINARY COMMODITYALCOHOL: NO ORDINARY COMMODITY
The benefits connected with the production,
sale, and use of this commodity come at an
enormous cost to society.
The benefits connected with the production,
sale, and use of this commodity come at an
enormous cost to society.
Figure 4.4 Alcohol-attributable burden of disease in
disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) as a
proportion of all DALYs by sex and WHO region
Figure 4.4 Alcohol-attributable burden of disease in
disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) as a
proportion of all DALYs by sex and WHO region
Source: Rehm et al. (2009)
Cumulative Growth in Alcohol Industry
Social Aspect/Public Relations Organizations
Cumulative Growth in Alcohol Industry
Social Aspect/Public Relations Organizations
Sources: Witheridge (2003), Anderson (2005), ICAP (2006)
Actual Role of Social Aspect
Organizations
Actual Role of Social Aspect
Organizations
•Public relations
•Lobbying for industry-favorable policies
•Neutralize opposing views and criticism
•Promote industry-favored scientists
•Oppose unpopular but effective policies
•Support ineffective but popular policies
•Public relations
•Lobbying for industry-favorable policies
•Neutralize opposing views and criticism
•Promote industry-favored scientists
•Oppose unpopular but effective policies
•Support ineffective but popular policies
What is the extent of industry involvement
in alcohol research and prevention?
What is the extent of industry involvement
in alcohol research and prevention?
Despite claims that the industry devotes
millions to health-related alcohol research
and prevention, the evidence suggests a
rather small direct contribution, one that is
unlikely to contribute to alcohol science,
lead to prevention breakthroughs, or reduce
the burden of alcohol-related illness.
Despite claims that the industry devotes
millions to health-related alcohol research
and prevention, the evidence suggests a
rather small direct contribution, one that is
unlikely to contribute to alcohol science,
lead to prevention breakthroughs, or reduce
the burden of alcohol-related illness.
Statistical evidenceStatistical evidence
� A greater density of premises = more violence
� Synergistic or non-linear effects (Livingston et al.)
� Licensed premises account for between one third and one half of all assaults
� Last Drinks surveys
� Survey data shows that adults aged 18-30 experience aggression most commonly in bars, clubs etc - more so for serious violence
� Employment in drinking establishments also a risk factor
� A greater density of premises = more violence
� Synergistic or non-linear effects (Livingston et al.)
� Licensed premises account for between one third and one half of all assaults
� Last Drinks surveys
� Survey data shows that adults aged 18-30 experience aggression most commonly in bars, clubs etc - more so for serious violence
� Employment in drinking establishments also a risk factor
Alcohol and violenceAlcohol and violence
� Aggression occurs when there is a combination of:
� The pharmacological effects of alcohol
� A person who is willing to be aggressive when drinking
� An immediate drinking context conducive to aggression
� A broader cultural context that is tolerant of alcohol-related aggression
� Aggression occurs when there is a combination of:
� The pharmacological effects of alcohol
� A person who is willing to be aggressive when drinking
� An immediate drinking context conducive to aggression
� A broader cultural context that is tolerant of alcohol-related aggression
Patron risk factorsPatron risk factors
� Young (but depends on study and specific indicator)
� Indigenous or other specific ethnic groups
� ‘Marginal’ patrons
� Salience of some common individual risk factors for criminality (e.g., impulsivity, heavy drinkers)
� Machismo - patrons and staff (esp. security)
� Young (but depends on study and specific indicator)
� Indigenous or other specific ethnic groups
� ‘Marginal’ patrons
� Salience of some common individual risk factors for criminality (e.g., impulsivity, heavy drinkers)
� Machismo - patrons and staff (esp. security)
Physical environmentPhysical environment
� Line-ups and people milling around outside
� Size of establishment
� Dirty premises
� Crowding
� Discomfort - lack of seating (vertical
drinking), smoky air, inconvenient bar
access
� Line-ups and people milling around outside
� Size of establishment
� Dirty premises
� Crowding
� Discomfort - lack of seating (vertical
drinking), smoky air, inconvenient bar
access
Social environmentSocial environment
� Permissive environments in which rules and
limits are unclear, especially around
dancing and pool playing
� Overall levels of intoxication
� Sexual activity, sexual competition
� Illegal activities, drug dealing, prostitution
� Permissive environments in which rules and
limits are unclear, especially around
dancing and pool playing
� Overall levels of intoxication
� Sexual activity, sexual competition
� Illegal activities, drug dealing, prostitution
StaffStaff
� Proliferation of premises with specialised and gendered staff roles - especially security staff
� Numbers may be too few or too many
� Staff skills (e.g., monitoring and defusing situations)
� Lack of responsible serving
� ‘Bad apples’
� Enforcer versus guardian role
� Proliferation of premises with specialised and gendered staff roles - especially security staff
� Numbers may be too few or too many
� Staff skills (e.g., monitoring and defusing situations)
� Lack of responsible serving
� ‘Bad apples’
� Enforcer versus guardian role
What does NOT work to prevent
violence?
What does NOT work to prevent
violence?
� Bright ideas not based on evidence
� Interventions that assume that ‘bad apples’ are the
problem
� Technological gimmicks
FOR EVERY COMPLEX PROBLEM THERE IS A
SIMPLE SOLUTION –
AND IT IS ALWAYS WRONG!
H. L. Mencken
� Bright ideas not based on evidence
� Interventions that assume that ‘bad apples’ are the
problem
� Technological gimmicks
FOR EVERY COMPLEX PROBLEM THERE IS A
SIMPLE SOLUTION –
AND IT IS ALWAYS WRONG!
H. L. Mencken
RuraLife: Rural and Regional
Responses to Alcohol, Gambling
and Substance use
ID scanners (since Dec 2007)ID scanners have now been installed by the owners of all
‘high risk’ venues in Geelong’.
• programmed to recognise 154 different types of ID
• can pick-out fake or altered IDs.
• keenly embraced by both the licensees and Police
• yet, no formal or independent evaluations of their effect under way, either locally, nationally or internationally.
• Little policy development around privacy etc.
Geelong has most developed approach we are aware of.
RuraLife: Rural and Regional
Responses to Alcohol, Gambling
and Substance use
Combined effects
Combined use of:
CCTV (internal and external),
Night watch radio
ID scanners
Most probably increased solution of crime and greater detection, but does this equal prevention?
RuraLife: Rural and Regional
Responses to Alcohol, Gambling
and Substance use
Alcohol-related injury – regression analysis
Aggregated by week instead of month
214 data points
R2= .60 (.59 adjusted) and was significantly different from zero with F(4, 209) = 78.05, p <
.000.
The regression model overall thus explained 60% (59% adjusted) of the variability in
alcohol-related injury rates.
Only two of the IVs - the Just Think Campaign and ID-scanners - contributed significantly to
the model by precipitating a rise in rate of alcohol-related injury.
Intervention β t
1. Night Watch Radio Program -.004 -.07
2. ID-scanners .333 4.2*
3. Just Think Campaign .493 7.6*
4. Operation Nightlife .027 .58
Note: * = p < .0001; All dfs = 209.
RuraLife: Rural and Regional
Responses to Alcohol, Gambling
and Substance use
Time series analysis- ID scanners
RuraLife: Rural and Regional
Responses to Alcohol, Gambling
and Substance use
Discussion
At this stage, we see no positive effect of any of the interventions at a local level, trends continue along the same directions as State averages.
Most interventions seem to have no discernable effect, although Just Think appears to have contributed to increased assaults.
Many factors yet to be considered
We need far more data
3am lockout overview
• Intervention designed to specifically reduce alcohol-related violence in & around nightclubs
• Restricted the ability to “bar hop”
• Entries & re-entries permitted before 3am, however no new entries allowed after 3am
• Previously introduced in small towns/cities
Mackay – late 90s
Cairns – 2002
Mooloolaba – 2003
Weekday & weekend rates of violence
July 2003 – June 2006
01
23
45
Mean v
iole
nt crim
e rate
/ w
eekday o
r w
eekend d
ay
0 10 20 30 40
Month
WDAY_V_RATE WEND_V_RATE
Hot spot changes
July – Sept 03, 04 & 05
What DOES work to prevent violence?What DOES work to prevent violence?
� Regulating physical availability
� Modifying the drinking environment:
� High quality staff training grounded in research: the
Ontario Safer Bars Program (encouraging evidence for
long-term effects)
� Some forms of police and regulatory enforcement of
licensing laws and responsible management practices
(long-term effects not demonstrated)
� Community action models (long-term effects only
achieved in Sweden)
� Regulating physical availability
� Modifying the drinking environment:
� High quality staff training grounded in research: the
Ontario Safer Bars Program (encouraging evidence for
long-term effects)
� Some forms of police and regulatory enforcement of
licensing laws and responsible management practices
(long-term effects not demonstrated)
� Community action models (long-term effects only
achieved in Sweden)
Regulating Physical AvailabilityRegulating Physical Availability
Strategy or
Intervention
Effectiveness
Research
Support
Cross-
National
Testing Ban on sales +++ +++ ++
Bans on drinking in
public places
? + +
Minimum legal
purchase age
+++ +++ ++
Rationing ++ ++ ++
Government monopoly
of retail sales
++ +++ ++
Hours and days of sale
restrictions
++ ++ +++
Restrictions on density
of outlets
++ +++ ++
Different availability by
alcohol strength
++ ++ +
Modifying the Drinking EnvironmentModifying the Drinking Environment
Strategy or
Intervention
Effective-
ness
Research
Support
Cross-
National
Testing Staff training and house
policies relating to
responsible beverage
service (RBS)
O/+ +++ ++
Staff and management
training to better manage
aggression
++ + ++
Enhanced enforcement of
on-premises laws and legal
requirements
++ ++ ++
Server liability ++ ++ +
Voluntary codes of bar
practice
O + +
Late-night lockouts of
licensed premises
? + O
Safer BarsSafer Bars
� Three-hour training program for all staff and management - reducing and managing problem behaviour and aggression
� A risk assessment workbook for managers
� Legal pamphlet
� Evaluated through a large scale randomized controlled trial: 26 large capacity bars and 12 similar controls
� Three-hour training program for all staff and management - reducing and managing problem behaviour and aggression
� A risk assessment workbook for managers
� Legal pamphlet
� Evaluated through a large scale randomized controlled trial: 26 large capacity bars and 12 similar controls
The NSW Alcohol Linking ModelThe NSW Alcohol Linking Model
� Emphasis on sustainability from the outset
� ‘Research into practice’ team formed
� Critical role of Last Drinks data: established feasibility of long-term police commitment
� Intervention involved:
� Feedback report to licensees
� Educational visits by police to offending establishments
� Follow-up workshop for visited licensees
� 36% reduction in alcohol-related incidents in experimental group vs controls over 3 months (N=400) - but smaller reduction in assaults
� Emphasis on sustainability from the outset
� ‘Research into practice’ team formed
� Critical role of Last Drinks data: established feasibility of long-term police commitment
� Intervention involved:
� Feedback report to licensees
� Educational visits by police to offending establishments
� Follow-up workshop for visited licensees
� 36% reduction in alcohol-related incidents in experimental group vs controls over 3 months (N=400) - but smaller reduction in assaults
Strategies for achieving sustained
effects
Strategies for achieving sustained
effects� Obtaining organizational leadership and policy
support…
� Providing supportive organizational infrastructure…
� Developing police knowledge and skills…
� Implementing data quality assurance and performance feedback strategies.
� Now being adopted across Australia and in New Zealand
� Obtaining organizational leadership and policy support…
� Providing supportive organizational infrastructure…
� Developing police knowledge and skills…
� Implementing data quality assurance and performance feedback strategies.
� Now being adopted across Australia and in New Zealand
Community ActionQueensland Safety Action Model (1990s)
Community ActionQueensland Safety Action Model (1990s)
� Community forum/ community-based task groups plus safety audit;
� Risk assessments in licensed premises by project personnel, and Code of Practice by nightclub managers;
� Training of the community-based project steering committee, the project officer, managers, bar and security staff, and police;
� Improvements in external regulation of licensed premises by police and liquor licensing inspectors
� Community forum/ community-based task groups plus safety audit;
� Risk assessments in licensed premises by project personnel, and Code of Practice by nightclub managers;
� Training of the community-based project steering committee, the project officer, managers, bar and security staff, and police;
� Improvements in external regulation of licensed premises by police and liquor licensing inspectors
The Stockholm Prevents Alcohol &
Drug Problems (STAD) Project
The Stockholm Prevents Alcohol &
Drug Problems (STAD) Project
� Survey (mid-1990s) of owners of licensed premises:
owners saw no problems with overserving
� Formation of action group: develop strategies to prevent
intoxication and service to minors
� Two-day training course in RBS for servers, security staff and
owners;
� New forms of enforcement: notification letters, mutual controls
(police & licensing officials)
� Signing of written agreement by high-ranking officials -->
formal steering committee
� Survey (mid-1990s) of owners of licensed premises:
owners saw no problems with overserving
� Formation of action group: develop strategies to prevent
intoxication and service to minors
� Two-day training course in RBS for servers, security staff and
owners;
� New forms of enforcement: notification letters, mutual controls
(police & licensing officials)
� Signing of written agreement by high-ranking officials -->
formal steering committee
STAD outcomesSTAD outcomes
� Interrupted time series analyses of police-recorded violence
(inside & outside) between 10 pm and 6 am
� Reduction of 29% in intervention area, slight increase in
control area
� Gradual reduction as interventions became more intense
� No displacement or influence of extraneous factors
� Increase in rates of refusal of service to drunks (5% --> 70%)
� Effects sustained over a period of 5 or more years
� Interrupted time series analyses of police-recorded violence
(inside & outside) between 10 pm and 6 am
� Reduction of 29% in intervention area, slight increase in
control area
� Gradual reduction as interventions became more intense
� No displacement or influence of extraneous factors
� Increase in rates of refusal of service to drunks (5% --> 70%)
� Effects sustained over a period of 5 or more years
Governance through partnerships(“It should be a working together thing”)
Governance through partnerships(“It should be a working together thing”)
� Many forms of partnerships internationally
� Alcohol Accords
� Crime and Disorder Partnerships
� Concierge government
� Community action coalitions
� Social control:
� Local and licensing laws
� Policing strategies: reactive vs problem-solving
� Crime prevention through environmental design
� Many forms of partnerships internationally
� Alcohol Accords
� Crime and Disorder Partnerships
� Concierge government
� Community action coalitions
� Social control:
� Local and licensing laws
� Policing strategies: reactive vs problem-solving
� Crime prevention through environmental design
ConclusionsConclusions
� Using a responsive regulation framework:
� Develop local partnerships oriented to evidence
� Incorporate Safer Bars training/risk assessments
universally
� Implement targeted enforcement using Last Drinks data
� Build sustainability mechanisms in from the outset
� Build community coalitions /action groups suitable to
local conditions
COLLECT HIGH QUALITY,
COMPREHENSIVE DATA!
� Using a responsive regulation framework:
� Develop local partnerships oriented to evidence
� Incorporate Safer Bars training/risk assessments
universally
� Implement targeted enforcement using Last Drinks data
� Build sustainability mechanisms in from the outset
� Build community coalitions /action groups suitable to
local conditions
COLLECT HIGH QUALITY,
COMPREHENSIVE DATA!
