The number of homicides fell by 51 percent in the first month of the trial, while the rate of all violent crime dropped 23 percent annually…
Full story: Closing Bars Early Reduced Murders by 40% in One US Neighborhood
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Appalachian State University
With this study showing clear indication that limiting hours for bars results in lower crime rate what could happen to bars nationwide? If more attention is brought to this research there is a possibility that the government as a whole could implement this study towards a bill that makes it mandatory to cut bar hours in order to reduce crime. Now from my understanding peak hours for bars is from 9pm to midnight and that seems like when most people get drunk and do stupid things such as commit crime. Limiting these hours may just make people that do those crimes show up earlier and get hammered earlier which may result in crimes going up again. It could also hinder the bars profit margin and make their business suffer as those peak hours would be significantly cut or the bars may have an earlier peak hour. Batlimore already showed an annual savings of 18 million in annual costs so perhaps there could be money saved at the expense of local bars.
Alejandro, I believe you have several strong points around this subject. Whilst bars may suffer a loss in profits, the idea that murder rates could be largely reduced is baffling. Yet, this is still an isolated study. As with any statistic or study, there is always room for failure, and it does not necessarily account of every instance of the subject at hand. Whilst this neighborhood may have seen a reduction, what would the impact be on a city? Furthermore, how do initial drinking rates, bar visitation, and local laws regarding alcohol impact the rates of murder to begin with? Overall, there are far too many questions that need answering before such a study could be considered on a larger scale.
Hey Alejandro. By cutting the hours of operation for bars, people will find other places to drink. What about the jobs that might be lost when cutting hours? some people are only able to work late hours.
Alcohol has been seen to have a correlation with an increase in violent crimes, and this article proved it. Alcohol interefers with the brains communicating oftentimes making people do dumb stuff and become more violent while under the influence. However does will reducing the hours of bars really help resolve the issue of violent crimes, or could this lead to more illegal underage drinking and purchase of alcohol. For example in the 1920s when America went dry and there was seen an increase in illegal activities such as illegal aclchol manufacturing and speakeasies. Although this change can cause some underlying problems it does help reduce crime and can be a step in the right direction.
Rebeca, I think you make a fantastic point about an increase in illegal alcohol usage and purchases. Alcohol and alcohol abuse are all too common throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world, meaning people will find a way to satiate their addictions regardless. I’d be interested to see how bars compare to other social gathering spaces and their correlation to murder rates. I think most of the time, people simply stay too long, get too drunk, and become confrontational; seeing how these statistics change depending on different types of locations would be very valuable information to have.
What possible consequences or outcomes may result from putting the article’s suggested rules into practice to reduce the hours that alcohol is sold? There is a noticeable effect on public safety given the significant 40% yearly drop in violent crime, including murders, in the Baltimore area under study. Do companies like bars and taverns, for example, lose money as a result of shorter hours? What possible effects may this have on their income? Also, can there be unforeseen repercussions, such as a rise in pre-gaming or alcohol use in private before businesses close early? I would be curious to see this complemented in a college town like Boone. I am also a bit skeptical of the data provided as they only measured 800 feet from bars but crime could have gone up in surrounding areas that were not measured. I am inclined to believe that the drinking would not stop but just move outside the bars, which could make the city more dangerous and perhaps more driving while drinking.