“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”: Responses by Security Staff to Aggressive Incidents in Public Drinking Settings

Abstract

Naturally-occurring incidents of aggression among young people in public drinking establishments (from observations and interviews) were analyzed in order to better understand how security staff respond to barroom aggression. Behavior of security staff fell broadly into four main categories: “good,” “neutral,” “bad,” and “ugly.” “Good” security staff responses involved the prevention of aggression through identifying problem situations and reducing provocative behavior. “Neutral” responses were adequate to address immediate aggressive behavior but involved less preventative responses, such as allowing incidents to escalate before intervening and failing to prevent future incidents by permitting aggressive patrons to remain in the bar. “Bad” responses involved inconsistent or unfair behavior as well as using poor judgement when resolving disputes. “Ugly” responses included bullying or harassing patrons, provoking aggression, or being physically aggressive. Implications in terms of training and licensing are discussed.