Citation

Menéndez P, Kypri K, Weatherburn D. Addiction 2016; 112(2): 261-268.

Affiliation

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Department of Justice, Sydney, NSW, Australia. don.weatherburn@justice.nsw.gov.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/add.13621

PMID

27658620

Abstract

AIMS: To determine whether restrictions on the availability of alcohol in two inner city entertainment areas in Sydney, Australia (1) reduced the incidence of assault in those areas (2) increased the incidence of assault in nearby areas (where the restrictions did not apply) (3) resulted in a net reduction in overall levels of assault (4) and/or whether the reductions in assault were most pronounced during the daily time periods when liquor trading restrictions were in operation.

DESIGN: Structural time series modelling was used to estimate and compare trends in assault in areas/times affected by the new restrictions on alcohol availability with trends in assault in areas unaffected by the new restrictions. SETTING: Sydney, Australia PARTICIPANTS/MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome measure was the police-recorded monthly incidence of non-domestic assault in the 78 months between January 2009 and June 2015.

FINDINGS: Following the reforms we found reductions in assaults of 45% (beta = -0.599 95%CI: -1.107,-0.091) and 22% (beta = 0.260 95%CI: -0.397,-0.123), respectively, in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD Entertainment Precincts. In the Kings Cross Entertainment Precinct, reductions in assault were observed in all three daily time periods. In the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct reductions in assault were only observed in the second and third daily time periods. Assaults did not increase in entertainment areas adjacent to or within easy reach of the target areas.

CONCLUSION: Restrictions on the availability of alcohol appear to reduce the incidence of assault. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en