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theses

Alcohol has long been considered a correlate of crime and disorder. Research into alcohol related crime and disorder has identified a number of risk factors and has recommended interventions aimed at reducing these problems. Research provides insight into how the police, community, and bar owners and managers can reduce crime and disorder at bar locations and where these actions should be undertaken. However, there is scarce research guiding when these interventions should take place. While the interaction of time and place plays an important role in bar and disorder research, a systematic examination of these temporal and spatial patterns of disorder concentrations at bar locations has not been undertaken. The goal of this research was to examine spatial and temporal concentrations of disorder at bars. Using two years of police data on disorder calls for service at bars, this research began with a J-curve analysis for each year of police data. The results were used to identify the bars with the most disorder calls for service in each year and allowed for comparisons between the two years. Next, the data was analyzed using a series of temporal factors such as time of day, day of the week, season of the year, and year-to-year comparisons to identify when the highest concentrations of bar disorder calls for service are most likely to occur. The identified temporal patterns of the concentration of disorder calls for service at bars were utilized to create statistically significant hotspots maps of spatial concentrations. Hotspots of disorder were most frequently located in the popular nightlife areas of the Ironbound and South Ironbound during the weekend, and in the Central Business District and Ironbound during the week. Bar disorder concentrated during the 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. time period (approximately 48 percent of all bar disorder) and hotspots of disorder were located within the Ironbound and South Ironbound neighborhoods -- popular nightlife areas in Newark. The J-curve distribution analysis also identified the same bars as having disproportionate levels of disorder over the study period. Seven of the top ten most disorderly bars identified by the J-curve analysis in 2010 were also among the top ten most disorderly establishments in 2011, indicating a degree of continuity when examining bars with disproportionately high levels of disorder. The results of this inquiry can be used to guide not only where but when targeted interventions should be implemented in order to generate the greatest crime control and prevention benefits. The products of this research expand the existing body of academic literature and provide valuable information to police officers, community leaders and those who live near, work in and patronize drinking establishments in Newark, NJ.

ETD_6205

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Rosalyn Bocker Parks

doi:10.7282/T3Q81FX7

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.