The Effects of Temperance Legislation on Drinking Behaviours in Night-Time Entertainment Districts

IAS Fellow's  Seminar

This event is open to Surrey academics, PhD  students and external audience.

Professor Grant Devilly, School of Applied Psychology & Griffith Criminology Institute Griffith University, Australia

There is a growing emphasis on reducing alcohol fuelled violence. We do not know whether legislation to close night-time entertainment districts (NEDs) earlier leads to decreased intoxication, decreased assaults and decreased fear of violence within the NED. This presentation will synthesize the research from my lab over the past 8 years to answer these questions. We conducted field research, predominantly in Brisbane and Surfer's Paradise (Queensland, Australia), both before and after temperance-backed legislation was introduced. We polled patrons to the NED and also offered breathalyser tests and drug testing as incentives to participate. We found that: researching the topic by providing breathalyser interceptions of patrons within the NED itself reduced assaults; without enticements for earlier entry to NEDs, a reduction in opening hours led to increased preloading and later entry by patrons; exit inebriation remained unaffected; fear of assaults by patrons within the NED increased; and the introduction of ID Scanners led to an initial increase in assaults. Quantitatively analysed, the results are placed in a socio-political context to provide pointers to reduce violence in other cities and jurisdictions.

Bio:

Grant completed his earlier degrees in the UK and his postgraduate degrees in Australia. Having worked at Melbourne University and Swinburne University he is now a Professor in Clinical Psychology in the School of Applied Psychology and the Griffith Criminology Institute at Griffith University. He is also an honourary Professor and International Fellow at Surrey University (UK). His research foci include: drug and alcohol practices in night-time entertainment districts; the treatment and prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; the phenomenology of forgetting; the effects of violent video games; and best treatment approaches for adolescent sex offenders. Related to this clinical research focus he has a strong interest in statistical methodology and organisational / social explanations for clinical phenomena.

Prof. Devilly’s visit to the School of Psychology  was made possible through a Fellowship awarded by the University of Surrey’s Institute of Advanced Studies.