Background

Public safety concerns in bars and nightclubs have come into the spotlight in the wake of several recent tragedies. For example, in a Chicago nightclub, the use of pepper spray by security staff in an attempt to halt a fight led to a patron stampede towards the blocked entrances of this club. As a result, 21 people died and another 50 were injured. Although such incidents are rare, they provide dramatic examples of the general findings from research that bars and nightclubs are high risk drinking settings.

Bar/club owners and staff have responsibility for ensuring the safety of their customers and themselves. However, observational research has found that staff members are not always able to intervene effectively in problem situations and may even behave violently themselves. In fact, bars have been sued more often for using unnecessary or excessive force than for any other single reason.

In order to manage problem behavior in public drinking settings, staff need to be able to communicate effectively with customers; they need to be able to work as a team; they need to have plans in advance for handling extreme situations; and they need to be able to stay calm and nonviolent even when provoked. The Safer Bars training program was developed to help staff improve in these areas.

 

The Need for a Program that Goes Beyond Server Training

Although good programs exist for training bar staff in responsible serving practices (for example, refusing service to underage and intoxicated patrons), there are several reasons that complementary training in managing problem behaviour is needed.

• Although intoxication is a major reason for aggression, it is not the only factor.
• Many incidents of aggression that occur in bars are unrelated to serving or the refusal of service.
• In many bars and clubs it is not possible for servers to monitor alcohol consumption and prevent problem behaviour as part of drink service.
• In many bars, it is the security staff or doorstaff who deal with problem behaviour, not servers.

 

The Content of the Safer Bars Training

The Safer Bars training is based on research about aggression in licensed premises as well as knowledge on communication approaches generally, such as use of personal space and body language, and techniques that were developed for police officers and others who work with violent individuals. The format of the 3-hour training session is primarily group discussion and covers several areas related to preventing aggression and managing problem behavior, including:

• Understanding how aggression escalates
• Assessing the situation
• Keeping cool
• Understanding and using effective body language (nonverbal techniques)
• Responding to problems
• Legal issues

 

The Outcome Evaluation

Eighteen bars in Toronto, Canada received the Safer Bars training and 12 bars in the city served as a control group. All trained staff improved significantly in their knowledge and attitudes regarding managing problem behavior. Managers scored significantly higher than other job categories both before and after training, consistent with their generally greater experience and skills.

The number of incidents of severe and moderate aggression occurring in experimental bars before and after the program was compared to the rate of aggression in control bars during the same period. Experimental bars showed a decrease in aggression by patrons following the Safer Bars program, while control bars showed an increase during the same period.

The results of the evaluation indicate that the Safer Bars program resulted in a significant decrease in aggression, especially more serious aggression by patrons. In addition, although staff aggression was more frequent overall during the post-test observations, this increase was less in the experimental bars than in the control bars.

The most important finding from this research is that it is possible to reduce aggression, violence, and injuries in bars. It needs to be recognised, however, that the Safer Bars program is not a panacea for aggression. Even after the training, incidents of severe aggression by both patrons and staff continued to be observed, even though the rate of these incidents by patrons decreased. Even small decreases could result in less risk of injury for patrons and staff and lower problems generally. Thus, programs such as Safer Bars have good potential for increasing safety in bars and nightclubs.

 

The Take-Home Message

Bars and nightclubs are settings in which violence sometimes occurs. Training of staff in techniques for preventing and defusing violence is effective in reducing the incidence and severity of violence.

 

For More Information – Click on the Links Below

Summary Report - Preventing Barroom Aggression:
Results of the Evaluation of the Safer Bars Program

Bars and Violence: Background Information

Return to Recent Findings