NCJ Number
190959
Date Published
2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This note describes the early experiences of a British project aimed at reducing alcohol-related street crime in Cardiff.
Abstract
The project has mounted interventions in five main categories. First, there has been an increased dialog between the police and managers of licensed premises that serve alcoholic beverages regarding how alcohol-related violent behavior and disorderly conduct can be reduced. Second, measures were adopted to improve the quality and behavior of the door-staff of licensed premises. Third, there have been campaigns to publicize the problem of alcohol-related violence. Fourth, police have increased operations that target "hot spots." Fifth, there has been support for and the debriefing of victims of alcohol-related crimes. An additional intervention, not yet implemented, will be the use of a cognitive-behavioral program for offenders. An important component of the project has been the development of a comprehensive database, which obtains information from a variety of sources regarding every incident of alcohol-related violence or disorder known to have occurred in the streets of licensed premises in the city center and Bay areas of Cardiff since July 1999. This database will be particularly useful in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the project's various interventions. It is too early to determine whether the project has reduced the levels of alcohol-related violence in the city center, and no overall trends are as yet evident. The project will be funded until March 2002, and the evaluation is continuing. 4 tables