alcohol, youth, and violence: the practical policy solutions for prevention
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Alcohol, Youth, and Violence: the practical policy solutions for prevention. Robert Nash Parker University of California. Alcohol and Violence: the nature of the relationship. Violence is caused in part by alcohol Alcohol makes violence worse than it might be otherwise - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Alcohol, Youth, and Violence: the practical policy solutions for
prevention
Robert Nash ParkerUniversity of California
Alcohol and Violence: the nature of the relationship
Violence is caused in part by alcoholAlcohol makes violence worse than it might be otherwiseAlcohol control and regulation can be used to prevent Violence
The practical and the possible
Research from “Alcohol and Violence: The nature of the relationship and the Possibility of Prevention”Look for this new book in 2010Preview of several chapters today
Minimum Drinking AgeUS has a uniform 21 age minimum age of legal purchaseIn the 1970s, many US states had younger agesLate 1970s to mid 1980s, all states were encouraged (forced) to adopt 21What was the impact on violence?
Increasing the minimum age of purchase and youth
homicideData for 49 states and DC, 1972-1993
Before and after critical period 1979-1984First state enacted 21 (Minnesota); US Federal Government essentially forces 21 uniformityBroad consideration of predictors including:
Taxes on BeerIncreases in minimum agePrices of alcohol
Increasing the minimum age of purchase and youth
homicideResults indicate:
Minimum age increase prior to 1984 decreases youth homicideThe Higher beer taxes, the lower youth homicideDespite rising youth homicide rates during the 1972-1993 period, evidence that alcohol policy can reduce youth violence
Availability of alcohol and youth violence
Although alcohol is not supposed to be available to those under 21, youth are able to obtain with reliability in many communitiesStudies in US show that 55% to 80% of the time, youth are able to buy alcohol directly in retail establishmentsWhat would happen to youth violence if alcohol availability went down?
Availability of Alcohol and youth violence
Three year study 1993-1995 in Small Northern California CommunityIn the second year of the study, City decided to remove alcohol outlets in 6 neighborhoods (out of 35; 12 outlets closed)Youth violence measured from police data for offenders and victims, 12-24
Availability of Alcohol and youth Violence
Natural experiment:Net of other factors, the places where availability was reduced had significantly lower rates of youth violenceCausal effect powerfully demonstrated
Availability, Enforcement, and youth gang activityMinimum Age of purchase is also about enforcement as well as setting minimum age and availabilityIs enforcement a useful tool for prevention of youth violence?Tested the idea with gang violence, a most difficult target for policy intervention
Availability, Enforcement, and youth gang activity
Using Pseudo-Under age buyer sting21 years olds who look youngAttempt to buy after an intervention
Findings:Only 24% successful Neighborhoods with more successful buys had higher gang violence net of other predictors
Conclusion:Enforcement of minimum purchase laws reduces even gang violence
Alcohol Advertising and a specific type of youth
violenceSimilar study in another Northern California Community
Why would the industry spend so much money on advertising if the only impact was to get adults to switch brands?
They would not!Purpose: Secure New Drinkers!
Alcohol Advertising and a Specific Type of Youth
ViolenceMeasured the content of advertising in local retail outlets with trained observers
Among the most common content:Sexually explicit, commodifying, and exploitative ads featuring women in provocative and near pornographic poses
We measured assault and sexual assault, overall advertising and sexually explicit advertising rates
FIGURE 11
FIGURE 12
FIGURE 10
Alcohol Advertising and a specific type of youth
violenceFindings:
Controlling for relevant factors:Advertising in general did not impact assault or sexual assaultSexually explicit advertising raised the rate of sexual assault, but not other assaultsThese findings were net of overall outlet density; they were also ethnic specificMore ads with Latina models, more Latina girls were sexually assaulted
Unintended Consequences: Alcohol prevention impacts
violenceCommunity Trials Study
Conducted by the Prevention Research Center, Berkeley (PIRE)Led by Harold Holder, one of the world’s leading experts on Alcohol and PreventionDesigned to impact drunk driving, pedestrian accidents, falls, burns, fires, etc: everything but violenceQuestion: Did these multi faceted and coordinated interventions impact violence?
Unintended Consequences: Alcohol Prevention Impacts
violenceTime series analyses of all three experimental sites showed that:
The timing of a number of different types of interventions led to lower violent crime rates 1 to 3 months laterThe volume of interventions reduced violent crime 2 to 3 months later
Alcohol, Violence, and Prevention
Alcohol related violence can be preventedExisting regulations on Alcohol can be used to achieve substantial reductionsMany of the interventions discussed here can be achieved with little or no expenditure of fundsWhy would Anyone be Opposed to this?
Finally:Look for a new book on alcohol and violence in 2010
Alcohol and Violence: The Nature of the Relationship and the Promise of PreventionRobert Nash ParkerEmail me, [email protected], for more information