The Effect of a Sunday Liquor‐Sales Ban Repeal on Crime: A Triple‐Difference Analysis. (15th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, SeungHoon; Branas, Charles C.; MacDonald, John M.
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 40:Number 5(2016)
• Page Start: 1111
• Page End: 1121
• Publication Date: 2016-04-15
• Subjects: Alcohol Availability -- Crime -- Blue Law -- Low‐Socioeconomic‐Status Neighborhood -- Triple‐Difference Analysis; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.13047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

Abstract : Background: This study investigates whether alcohol availability in state‐run liquor stores affects crime nearby. In 2003, Pennsylvania repealed its Sunday alcohol‐sales ban for a portion of its state‐run liquor stores. We capitalize on this change in alcohol policy to assess the effect of alcohol availability on crime occurring within the vicinity of liquor stores that opened on Sundays in Philadelphia. Methods: We employed a difference‐in‐difference‐in‐differences model that compared reported crime before versus after the change in alcohol policy, Sundays versus other days of the week, and the fraction of liquor stores affected versus not affected by the repeal. We used crime incident data in Philadelphia between 1998 and 2011. Results: The repeal was associated with a significant increase in total and property‐crime incidents occurring around Sunday‐open state liquor stores in low‐socioeconomic‐status neighborhoods. We found no evidence of the displacement of crime to nearby areas. Conclusions: This is the first triple‐difference alcohol study that attempts to isolate the micro‐spatial effects of a shift in alcohol availability on local crime patterns, and shows that the repeal of Sunday alcohol‐sales restrictions may increase crime in poor urban areas. Abstract : The Pennsylvania "Blue Law" repealed since 2003 permitted part of its state‐monopoly off‐premise liquor outlets, called "Wine & Spirits" stores, to open on Sunday. We used this presumed increased alcohol availability to estimate crime variations from 1998 to 2011 around the W&S stores in Philadelphia through a triple‐difference analysis. We found total and property crimes increased in the immediate vicinity of the W&S stores when they were located in relatively low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods.