Alcohol Outlets as Attractors of Violence and Disorder: A Closer Look at the Neighborhood Environment

• NCJ Number: 227646
• Author(s): Caterina Gouvis Roman; Shannon E. Reid; Avinash S. Bhati; Bogdan Tereshchenko
• Date Published: April 2008
• Length: 156 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2006-IJ-CX-0012
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research Paper

Annotation

This report investigates the relationship between alcohol availability, type of alcohol establishment, distribution policies, and violence and disorder.

Abstract

This report investigates the relationship between alcohol availability, type of alcohol establishment, distribution policies, and violence and disorder at the block group level in the District of Columbia. The authors test whether density of alcohol outlets, both on-premise and off-premise, influence aggravated assault incidents and calls for service for social “disorder” offenses and/or domestic violence incidents. Outcome variations are examined by time of day/day of week and an information theoretic approach is used to estimate spatial econometric regression models. The research findings indicate that: on-premise outlets, but not off-premise outlets, are a significant predictor of aggravated assault incidents; concentrations of both on-premise and off-premise outlets are associated with high levels of violence and disorderly conduct; and off-premise outlets are associated with a significant increase in domestic violence incidents, but on-premise outlets (specifically restaurants and nightclubs) are associated with a decrease in domestic violence. The report concludes with a discussion of implications for crime and community-level alcohol prevention efforts.