Norwegian study finds opening bars longer increases violence

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/w-nsf112811.php

Public release date: 29-Nov-2011
Contact: Jean O'Reilly
Wiley-Blackwell
Norwegian study finds opening bars longer increases violence

A new study published today in the international journal Addiction demonstrates that even small changes in pub and bar closing hours seem to affect the number of violent incidents. The findings suggest that a one-hour extension of bar closing hours led to an increase of an average of 20 violent cases at night on weekends per 100,000 people per year. This represents an increase in violence of approximately 16 percent.

The results suggest that the effect occurs both ways. In other words, reducing trading hours by one hour leads to a decrease in violence of the same magnitude as the increase in violence seen if closing hours are increased by one hour.

Lead author Professor Ingeborg Rossow said "These findings echo the results from studies from around the world that you see more violence in cities when you extend trading hours."

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