Nighttime Economy and Lethal Violence in a Tourist City: The Role of Alcohol Selling Outlets

• In Event: Communities and Place Panel: Spatiotemporal analysis of crime and modelling: Insights from the Brazilian context

Abstract

High alcohol consumption is linked to increased violence, with neighbourhoods dense in bars and other alcohol-selling establishments experiencing higher crime rates. Tourist cities, in particular, exemplify this pattern. In this presentation, we share the results of a study examining the impact of alcohol outlets—specifically bars, nightclubs, and restaurants—on homicides in Recife, a major tourist destination in northeast Brazil. We first analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of homicides in relation to tourism seasons, then apply Binomial regression models to assess how alcohol outlets and other land use types concerning the nighttime economy and tourism influence lethal violence (day/night and high/low tourism season) between 2017 and 2022. The findings reveal that while bars significantly shape the geography of violence, particularly at night, homicides remain a persistent issue in certain areas of Recife, especially in impoverished neighbourhoods on the peripheries, where young men are disproportionately affected. Moreover, nearly 70% of these crimes are linked to drug trafficking and gang conflicts, underscoring the complex factors driving violence beyond tourist zones. This study contributes to the criminological understanding of cities in the Global South, particularly in relation to the impact of alcohol outlets on homicides.

Authors

• Duan Vilela Ferreira, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil

• Vania Ceccato, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden

• Caroline Mota, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil