The Southern Pub Crawl and Brawl: An Examination of the Alcohol–Violence Nexus in a Southern City

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between alcohol availability and crime, specifically the variation of effects between the presence of off- and on-site establishments on violent crime. We contribute to extant research by providing a more comprehensive disaggregation of alcohol establishments. Framed in routine activities theory, we argue that alcohol availability will exacerbate violent crime rates by increasing quantities of motivated offenders and suitable targets, while simultaneously decreasing the number of capable guardians. We find a nuanced relationship between the presence of alcohol establishments and violence that varies based on establishment type as well as the characteristics of its block group.