Violence, deprivation and alcohol availability: Exploring temporal change and spatial inequalities

• In Event: WG-PLACE 3: Research on crime, place and time

Abstract

Violence in Scotland has reduced significantly in recent years. However, incidents of violence are not evenly distributed across space and time and reductions have been unevenly distributed, creating even greater disparities between Scottish communities. Scotland has a long history with hazardous alcohol consumption, with recent statistics showing alcohol as a highly prevalent factor in interpersonal violence. Furthermore, deprivation and the concentration of alcohol premises in local areas have been found to be independently associated with crime, whereby areas with a higher density of alcohol premises and a higher level of deprivation display a higher level of crime. However, little is known about the interplay between area deprivation and alcohol availability in Scotland and how this has impacted on rates of violence.
Using linked administrative data from ambulance call-outs for assault-related injuries, we explore the spatio-temporal patterns of violence in Scotland and how these have changed over time in association with deprivation and alcohol premises concentration. Although overall trends indicate a decline in violence, this reduction is not observed equally across all communities. We found that variations in deprivation levels and alcohol availability influence different patterns of violence, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of violence and structural factors across Scottish communities.
By addressing spatial and temporal dimensions together, this research underscores the complexity of violence in local areas and its ties with alcohol availability and structural inequalities. We discuss the implications of these findings informing crime prevention and alcohol policies.

Authors

• Ana Morales, University of Edinburgh

• Susan McVie, University of Edinburgh