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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:38 am
Time: 11:38 am
Results for alcohol-related crime, disorder (scotland)
1 results foundAuthor: Forsyth, Alasdair J. Title: An Investigation into the Environmental Impact of Off-license Premises on Residential Neighbourhoods Summary: In recent times there has been a great deal of concern about levels of anti-social behaviour across the UK (Home Office, 2005; House of Commons, 2005; Scottish Parliament, 2003). Several reports have investigated the role of alcohol as a potentially important contributor to this problem (Babb, 2007; Engineer et al, 2003; Finney, 2004; Home Office, 2001; Matthews et al, 2006; Richardson & Budd, 2003; Travis, 2004). These fears have led to a raft of legislative reaction, from both national governments and local authorities, which has included measures such as the banning of irresponsible promotions (e.g. ‘happy hours’) and the introduction of alcohol / anti-social behaviour dispersal / disorder ‘zones’ (e.g. see Academy of Medical Sciences, 2004; Hetherington, 2004; ‘Nicholson Committee Report’, 2004; Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, 2004). However, to date these policies have tended to be focused more towards alcohol-related disorder associated with on-trade licensed premises (i.e. public houses and nightclubs), particularly those located in city centre night-time economies, rather than towards the off-trade sector or residential neighbourhoods. Consequently it has recently been identified that there has also been a paucity of research into these latter issues (e.g. Human Factors Analysts Limited, 2007; Jayne et al, 2006). This oversight seems odd given that the off-trade sector is indicated as the source of the current rise in alcohol consumption across the UK over the past 20 years. For example, statistics released by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs revealed that compared with 2002-2003, the period up to 31st of March 2004 saw a 5.5% decrease in on-trade purchases of alcohol compared with a 9.0% increase in purchases for home consumption (DEFRA, 2005a). Similarly, according to the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA, 2005), since 1980 there are 14% more licensed public houses compared with 25% more off-licences, this set against a background where progressively more pub income is being generated from food provision and where progressively larger off-trade premises (major supermarkets) are selling alcohol alongside ‘basic’ provisions rather than small ‘traditional’ designated off-licenses. Additionally, whereas it is true that alcohol in general has become steadily more affordable over the past two decades, this masks great differences between the off-trade and on-trade sectors, with for example off-trade beer prices actually falling since the millennium, such that by 2005 the off-trade price of beer was under 1.5 times that of the late 1980s, compared to nearly 2.5 times for on-trade beer (Godfrey, 2007). The view that off-licenses are a major cause of (alcohol-related) anti-social behaviour is not only unfashionable but controversial. There are number of ways in which off-trade outlets (i.e. off-licences) may be thought to have the potential to be a greater cause of alcohol-related harm in the community than on-trade outlets (i.e. pubs or clubs) including: • Off-trade prices tend to be cheaper (BBPA, 2007;Godfrey, 2005) and have to date largely escaped policy initiatives aimed at curbing irresponsible promotions such as deep price discounting (‘Daniels Report’, 2004), which may encourage immodest consumption (e.g. Kuo et al, 2003). This is unfortunate, as off-trade sales are known to be more price responsive, since a portion of on-trade sales are deemed to be spent towards the social setting (e.g. BBPA, 2007; Prime Ministers Strategy Unit, 2004). • The alcohol products sold by some off-licenses are those which have been identified as encouraging immodest consumption, such as super-lagers, white ciders, tonic wine and other fortified beverages (e.g. Brain & Parker, 1997; ‘Daniels Report’, 2004; Forsyth et al, 1997; Galloway et al, 2006; Hughes et al, 1997). • Despite surveys indicating that off-trade outlets, rather than on-trade premises, are the main source of alcohol consumed by younger under-age drinkers, either directly or indirectly via third party (agent) purchase (e.g. Boreham & McManus, 2003; Bradshaw, 2003; Corbett et al, 2005; Forsyth & Barnard, 2000; Maxwell et al, 2007; Toomey et al, 2004; Willner et al, 2000), concerns have been raised that little has been done to tackle this, with for example only 905 prosecutions of off-sales premises for licensing offences, in Scotland during 2001, resulting in only 100 convictions (‘Daniels Report’, 2004) and only three under-age drinkers being prosecuted in the Lothian (Edinburgh) region during 2004 (Stow, 2005). • Off-trade purchases can involve a very large amount of alcohol being purchased with no control over who actually drinks it or the consequences of this consumption (e.g. see Galloway et al, 2006; Human Factors Analysts Limited, 2007). By way of contrast, on-trade purchases involve measured doses with consumption being continually monitored by serving staff (e.g. see Forsyth et al, 2005; Forsyth, 2006; Graham et al, 2005). In short, on-trade consumption is supervised by those with a vested interest in ensuring that it is consumed sensibly, off-trade consumption is not (the same principle applies to the supply of methadone to illegal drug consumers at pharmacies, e.g. see Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 2007). • In the extreme, there is some evidence serious crimes of violence are more likely to be associated with off-trade alcohol consumption in residential areas than with the much more high profile alleged ‘binge drinking’ problems associated with city centre pubs and clubs (Norstrom, 1998; Scribner et al, 1999). For example, during 2002 in the Strathclyde Police area, which includes Glasgow, the city with the highest homicide rate in Western Europe, there were 81 murders, none of which occurred within the city centre, despite 44% of these accused being described as drunk at the time of the killing (Lawson, 2003; Scottish Executive, 2003). This research will address these issues by focusing upon licensed convenience stores (grocers / newsagents) operating in residential areas. Unlike on-trade premises, these outlets (community off-sales) often provide a broad range of services for the wider community, not just drinkers or the over-18s. Unlike city centre weekend binge drinking, the impact of such premises on residents is likely to be continuous and long-lasting, affecting the whole community. For many residents, including children, these premises and their alcohol purchasing clientele offer their only exposure to the consequences of (anti-social) drinking. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research and Glasgow Centre for the Study of Violence, Glasgow Caledonian University, 2007. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://www.aerc.org.uk/documents/pdfs/finalReports/AERC_FinalReport_0041.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.aerc.org.uk/documents/pdfs/finalReports/AERC_FinalReport_0041.pdf Shelf Number: 122558 Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder (Scotland)Anti-Social BehaviorDisorderly Conduct |