create safer contexts

Level of research support: Strong evidence of effectiveness

What is it?

A “safer contexts” approach seeks to prevent and reduce the harms associated with using alcohol and other drugs without necessarily requiring people to reduce their consumption. This approach focuses instead on changing the situation in which substances are used (e.g., a person’s surroundings).

For example, a late-night licensed premise with experience with violence might opt to change its policies and procedures (e.g., hours of operation, closing-time routine) to make the environment safer for patrons and the surrounding neighbourhood.

Why do it?

While violence is associated with a variety of complex factors, research evidence illustrates the significant role alcohol plays in the generation of violence (Stockwell, 2010). A recent evidence review found that alcohol-related violence is perpetuated by the availability and harmful use of alcohol, and that effective alcohol control strategies can help control this violence (Heung et al., 2010).

Key findings from the evidence include the following:

• Alcohol outlet density and rates of violence tend to increase together. That is, the greater the density of liquor stores, bars and clubs, the higher the rates of violence.
• Low alcohol price is associated with violence-related injury, while high alcohol price reduces alcohol consumption.
• Frequency of violent incidents increases with the level of intoxicated patrons.
• Peak time for violent offences is weekend nights, and the peak location is in and around pubs and clubs.
• Certain physical and social characteristics of licensed establishments are associated with violence. Factors include high crowd density, capacity and overall comfort of the venue, patron behaviour and management practice.

Who is it for?

• General population (universal)
• Young people (selected)

Who can facilitate it?

• Interested citizens
• Community leaders
• Municipal governments
• Health services
• Social services
• Business community

How can we implement it?

Encourage stakeholders to work together

In combination with effective law enforcement strategies, forums in which licensees, police and civic authorities meet regularly to develop shared strategies and codes of conduct provide an opportunity to encourage

• responsible beverage service,
• measures to prevent violence, and 
• compliance with liquor laws.

Forum participants may discuss ways to provide beverage service training, or work together to develop policies designed to respond to potential issues such as occasional permits for selling liquor (i.e., outdoor events) and drunk and rowdy behaviour in public places. Widely implemented across most states in Australia, a corresponding Canadian model has been introduced in many towns in Ontario.

Propose limits to the density of liquor stores, bars and clubs

• Advocate for the development or revision of guidelines or bylaws for permitted density and patron numbers according to type of area (e.g., inner-city, suburban, industrial, town centre, rural).
• Encourage your municipal government to require alcohol-serving businesses to conduct pre-licensing planning such as community impact studies.
• Explore ways to monitor problem incidents at bars and clubs, and encourage civil authorities to impose sanctions up to and including licence suspensions, especially targeting bar clusters in entertainment districts.

Advocate for controls on the retail price of alcohol

• Encourage drinking establishments to raise or maintain drink prices.
• Communicate the need for restrictions on drink specials and happy hours.
• Explore ways to reduce the intense competition between establishments that often result in cheap alcohol and lax serving standards.

Expore ways to eliminate the chance of violence in and around bars and clubs

• Work with stakeholders to develop a community-wide "responsible beverage service" strategy involving a variety of interventions aimed at reducing customers’ intoxication levels. These strategies can include encouraging licensed establishments to create safer "house policies" such as promoting food and non- or low-alcohol alternatives, and training staff to both identify early signs of intoxication and delay or stop service as appropriate.

Promote harmonious drinking environments

• Work with stakeholders to provide drinking establishments with incentives for creating stress-free drinking settings. Factors to address include overall comfort (such as temperature, noise, lighting, ventilation, cleanliness), crowd density, capacity of venue, management practices and staff attitude.
• Create opportunities for managers and security staff to attend training programs based on preventing and managing violent incidents. These programs are intended to help operators design the physical and social environment of their bars to reduce triggers for violence (bumping, jostling, stress and frustration), and to train security staff to anticipate, prevent and manage violent incidents. 
• Encourage licensed establishments to set clear house rules. Drinking environments with permissive management standards regarding excessive drinking and antisocial behaviour will have higher levels of violence.

Propose the use of credible deterrents

When licensed operators and staff believe that sanctions against irresponsible management and serving practices are highly likely to be applied, and applied swiftly, they are more likely to follow procedures that prevent intoxication and, consequently, violence. The size of penalties that can be applied are less important.

• Research and propose ways to improve the process for active enforcement of regulations related to serving intoxicated or underage clients, and to health and safety issues in general. 
• Introduce a publicly reported monitoring system that tracks serious alcohol-related harms associated with drinking at particular licensed premises. This system should include violent incidents and data on "last place of drinking" for all drinking and driving offenders. 
• Create or encourage the development of a system of on-the-spot fines for first-time offenders, with graded penalties leading to temporary licence suspension and ultimately licence revocation for chronic repeat offenders. 
• Publicize updates on new requirements of liquor licensing regulations and legislation, along with details of offenders and penalties given out.

Take steps to counter drinking and driving

While strong, broad policy stances at the federal and provincial levels are critical for lowering drinking and driving rates, communities can play an important role. Reducing impaired driving and its harmful consequences is best accomplished from a combination of strategies that support enforcement efforts and encourage healthy behaviour.

• Allocate resources for enforcement activities.
• Ensure public awareness of the consequences of drinking and driving.
• Plan and promote safe transportation to and from drinking establishments. 
• Promote social norms against drinking and driving. 

Sources and related material