Ghanem Lina, Lee Juliet P, Sumetsky Natalie, Pagano Anna, Gruenewald Paul, Mair Christina
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2150 Shattuck Avenue #601, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.
School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 6136 Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
Int J Drug Policy. 2020 Jun;80:102735. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102735. Epub 2020 May 20.
Associations between neighborhood crime and alcohol outlets are often theorized as resulting from poor place management. Barriers and supports to place management have been examined for on-premise (bars, restaurants) but not for off-premise alcohol outlets. Few studies have assessed place management issues across a range of off-premise outlet and neighborhood types, and none have included the perspectives of off-premise outlet managers themselves. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods within an ethnographic approach, we investigated barriers and supports to place management across off-premise outlets in a large urban area.
We unobtrusively assessed outlet operating characteristics including crime prevention strategies at all 403 off-premise outlets in six contiguous California cities; interviewed managers in 40 outlets; and conducted extensive naturalistic observations in 15 of these 40 outlets. We analyzed data for frequencies and thematic content.
Small and independently operated off-premise outlets were the most common type of outlet in our study, but demonstrated fewer resources and more challenges to place management compared to large and chain establishments. Security guards were more observed in large and chain outlets. Small and independent outlets were more likely to post signs prohibiting loitering and to enable surveillance of interior spaces. Problems most commonly cited by managers were theft and loitering. Challenges to place management included physical and verbal threats from customers and intoxicated persons, and insufficient law enforcement. Managers evidenced some ability to assert authority over interior, private space, but less so over exterior, public space.
Although tasked with maintaining public health and safety, small and independent store managers reported challenges that are seldom acknowledged in policy or research literature. Managers may provide valuable insights on preventing and reducing neighborhood-level problems associated with off-premise alcohol outlets. Local communities should consider enhancing place management resources for managers of small and independent outlets.
邻里犯罪与酒类销售点之间的关联通常被认为是场所管理不善所致。对于场所管理的障碍和支持因素，已有针对场内（酒吧、餐厅）的研究，但尚未涉及场外酒类销售点。很少有研究评估过一系列场外销售点和邻里类型中的场所管理问题，且没有一项研究纳入过场外销售点经理自身的观点。我们采用人种志方法，结合定性和定量研究方法，调查了大城市地区场外销售点场所管理的障碍和支持因素。
我们在加利福尼亚州六个相邻城市的所有403个场外销售点，暗中评估了销售点的运营特征，包括预防犯罪策略；采访了40个销售点的经理；并在这40个销售点中的15个进行了广泛的自然观察。我们分析了频率和主题内容的数据。
在我们的研究中，小型独立经营的场外销售点是最常见的销售点类型，但与大型连锁企业相比，它们在场所管理方面的资源较少，面临的挑战更多。在大型连锁销售点中，保安人员更为常见。小型独立销售点更有可能张贴禁止闲逛的标志，并能够监控内部空间。经理们最常提到的问题是盗窃和闲逛。场所管理面临的挑战包括来自顾客和醉酒者的身体和言语威胁，以及执法不足。经理们在维护室内私人空间的权威方面有一定能力，但在室外公共空间方面则较弱。
尽管小型独立商店经理肩负着维护公众健康和安全的责任，但他们报告的挑战在政策或研究文献中很少被提及。经理们可能会为预防和减少与场外酒类销售点相关的邻里层面问题提供有价值的见解。当地社区应考虑为小型独立销售点的经理增加场所管理资源。
