Close only counts in alcohol and violence: Controlling violence near late-night alcohol establishments using a routine activities approach

Assess whether 5a.m. bars and nightclubs in Little Rock, AR were in fact serving to attract or generate violence in and around their premises and what impacts a new ordinance, requiring increased guardianship, served its intended purpose to reduce the incidence of violence. Using violent crime data from the Little Rock Police, a series of Risk Terrain Models were utilized to examine whether the influence that proximity to a risk factor (5a.m. alcohol establishments) has on violent crime changes after the new ordinance is established. Support for the ordinance was found for yearlong risk assessment, in that requiring 5am alcohol establishments in Little Rock to employ a minimum of two law enforcement officers in and around the establishment acted as effective strategies to alter the guardianship and reduced the relative risk of violent crime in close proximity to these establishments. The establishments were serving to attract/generate violent crime in and around their vicinity; however, support was found for the effectiveness risk reduction through increasing levels of guardianship and thus, reducing relative risk for violent crime. Furthermore, depending on the temporal aggregation, results varied on the potential riskiness associated with the 5a.m. alcohol establishments. •5a.m. alcohol establishments significantly influenced the presence of violent crime.•Immediate areas were 474–533 times riskier for violent crime between 12:00–5:00am.•Implementation of ordinance reduced risk of establishments to non-significance.•Requiring strategies to increase ‘guardianship’ of targets is effective.