NCJ Number
203531
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 38 Issue: 14 Dated: 2003 Pages: 1971-1982
Editor(s)
Stanley Einstein Ph.D.
Date Published
2003
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined alcohol availability, specifically the density of liquor outlets and whether it was a similarly salient predictor of assaultive violence in Kansas City, MO.
Abstract
A crucial public health research issue in the established link between alcohol consumption and crime is whether alcohol availability or the density of liquor outlets influences assaultive violence. This study assessed the geographic association between rates of assaultive violence and alcohol-outlet density in Kansas City, MO. In 1995, data were collected on assaultive violence and alcohol outlets as part of a larger effort that evaluated the range of community development initiatives in Kansas City. Data were obtained from the Kansas City, MO, Police Department and the Kansas City, MO, Office of Liquor Control. The overall results indicated that the density of alcohol outlets significantly and meaningfully added to the prediction of assaultive violence in Kansas City, MO. While controlling for a set of known predictors of alcohol consumption, the replicated association between alcohol availability and crime remained significant. This study adds to the importance of making liquor-outlet density in cities, at a geography approximating the census tract, a key feature in this public health domain. The research highlights the importance to the public health of the mix of institutions in urban areas. Inner-city areas may be vulnerable to high concentrations of alcohol outlets, especially when characterized by a concentration of deteriorated housing, predatory lending offices, and a paucity of full-service supermarkets. Future research is recommended in the exploration of the public health implications of these social institutions in varying geographical locations throughout the United States. References