A donnybrook in downtown? Observations of controlling aggression and the use of effective place management in a southern entertainment area

Abstract

Much of the research conducted on aggressive behavior outside of bars has been limited to large entertainment districts outside the USA. These studies consistently show that overcrowding and lack of patron control are main contributors to aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine if effective place managers and guardians could mitigate acts of aggression in smaller entertainment areas. Based on the work of Townsley and Grimshaw (Crime Prev Community Saf 15(1):23–47, 2013), observations of aggressive behavior were conducted on one street block in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, on Friday night/Saturday mornings, over a 6-week period, totaling 24 h. Findings show the cities use of effective place mangers and capable guardians (e.g., police, bouncers, door attendants, and barricades) significantly limited the opportunities for aggression to rise to critical levels. Comparing these results to prior literature, the absence of aggressive behavior was attributed to proper place management and environmental design.