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HomeMy WebLinkAbout35- Mayor's office ORIGINAL CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO—REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Mayor Patrick J. Morris Subject: REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF Dept: Mayor's Office SAN BERNARDINO ON THE ANALYSIS OF VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL OUTLETS, Date: April 5, 2010 AND SALES OF SINGLE SERVE CONTAINERS OF ALCOHOL IN SAN BERNARDINO, 2007-2009. Council Date: April 5, 2010 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: Recommended Motion: Receive and File gnature Contact person: Kent Paxton Phone: 5133 Supporting data attached: Staff Report Ward: All FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: None Source: (Acct. No.) -0- (Annt npscripton) -n- Finance: Agenda Item No. � 3S CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION STAFF REPORT Subject: Report to the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino on the Analysis of Violence, Alcohol Outlets, and Sales of Single Serve Containers of Alcohol in San Bernardino, 2007-2009. Background: In 2007, the Mayor's Office began meeting with several organizations including the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, and the Institute for Public Strategies, to research the relationship between the sale of single serve alcoholic beverages and crime in the City of San Bernardino. Single serve alcoholic beverages are defined as bottles and cans of beer ranging in size from 16 to 40 ounces. A study conducted by the Department of Public Health in October 2008, found that 88% of alcohol retail outlets surveyed were found to be currently selling single-serves. The connection between crime, violence and alcohol availability has been well documented by scientific research. There is new evidence indicating that the consumption of single-serve alcoholic beverages may also play a part. For example, a 2006 study of Riverside crime statistics found a correlation between such sales and higher gang crime. According to Dr, Robert Nash Parker, from the UCR Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies, the single serve items are a key variable contributing to gang activity. Attached is an issue paper developed by the Institute for Public Strategies that provides an overview of Single-Serve Alcoholic Beverages in the City of San Bernardino; and, a new report from Dr. Parker entitled Report on Analysis of Violence, Alcohol Outlets, and Sales of Single Serve Containers of Alcohol in San Bernardino, 2007-2009. Dr. Parker's new report finds a correlation between the sale of single serve items and violent crime; finally, the report recommends that better regulation of the single serve items is needed. Attachments: Brief: Single-Serve Alcoholic Beverages Dr. Parker's Report Dr. Parker's Power Point Recommendation: Receive and file. 1 Single-Serve Alcoholic Beverages Alcohol that is packaged for immediate consumption can lead to public drinking, crime and violence What are Single-Serves? Alcoholic beverages that are packaged for consumption by a single individual at a given time are known as "single-serves"These products may contain beer,dis- tilled spirits or alcoholic energy drinks,which, in addi- tion to alcohol, usually contain caffeine as well as other stimulants.'However, the most common single-serve items are bottles and cans of beer,ranging in size from 16 to 40 ounces. Such items often have higher alcohol _ content than regular beer, making them more potent. Problematic Packaging 24 ounce eons of beer are the most common type ofsingle- Single-serve alcoholic beverages are considered prob- serve alcoholic beverages being sold in San Bernardino, lematic for a number of reasons. First is that excessive but 31 and 40 ounce bottles are also found in nrmty super- amounts of alcohol are being packaged for consumption ?nor- is and convenience stares. by a single individual. This is especially true of the high leads to public intoxication and a wide range of associ- alcohol content beer known as malt liquor. With 6 per- ated problems including driving under the influence, cent alcohol content being standard, a 40 ounce bottle public urination, litter, and other disruptive behavior. of this kind of product is equivalent to five shots of According to research, such problems are reported on a whiskey. Since it sells for as little$1.39 a bottle, it is the regular basis by residents living in the proximity of re- cheapest way for someone to get drunk.'This makes it a tailers that sell single-serves. In addition, there are also favorite among the homeless and other serial inebriates, reports of crimes of violence, including those receiving public assistance, according including gang-related activi- to research.' ties, resulting in personal injury A 40 ounce Secondly, single-serve products are routinely offered and/or property damage.'-''° bottle of for sale cold and ready to be consumed. This frequently Underage Drinking malt liquor Last but not least, it should be is equal to noted that the single-serve cans and bottles of beer are very five shots 1 popular with youth including of whiskey. I L L minorities,to whom these ll�l P products are specifically mar- keted.This includes several advertising campaigns fea- tuning African American music video stars promoting malt liquor in 40-ounce containers. In addition, since these products are typically priced low, they are more affordable for young people who have less disposable income.'''As a consequence,these products may tend Since Hispanic customers prefer lemon with some types of to increase problems related to underage drinking. beer, one San Bernardino store o ers fresh lemons so that These are known to include poor academic perform- ' the product can be consumed;nuuediatelr after purchase. ante,high-risk sexual practices and an increased likeh- (Sign reads:don'tforget the lemons) hood of drinking problems developing later in life.' s s u e 0 r i of i n g I Coalition for a Drug-free San Bernardino Single Serve Alcoholic Beverages Page 2 Crime & Violence The connection between crime,violence and alcohol availability,has been well documented by scientific re- ;earch.'n'r''12 Furthermore, there is new evidence indicat- ing that the consumption of single-serve alcoholic bever- iges may also play a part. For example, a 2006 study of Riverside crime statistics that found a correlation between inch sales and higher gang crime. According to Dr. Robert Nash Parker, the author of the study, such prod- .icts are a central part of the activities of gang members. `They sip 40-ouncers,they party, they get their courage ap," it was noted in the report.13 Through GIS mapping studies, city officials in San Ber- ttrdino have also established a correlation between the Wes of single-serve alcoholic beverages and the preva- lence of crime. As noted on the map at right,reports from Hrp-]rop artists Meth&Red doing n rap video c for Sr.Ides 3olice of Part 1 property crime clearly demonstrate that M It Liquor, a brand that targets African American vouch. ;uch crime is clustered around alcohol licensees known as allocated for them. Re- `Package Stores,"most of which are currently selling sin- stilts of the survey,which ;le serves. was conducted in October 88 % of retailers of 2008, showed that surveyed in the Single-Serve Sales in the City of San Bernardino these products are a staple y Io identify the extent of the problem in the City of San in gas stations,convert- City of San Ber- Bemardino, a survey was conducted by the County De- ience and liquor stores n a rd i n o were .3attment of Public Health Alcohol and Drug Abuse Pre- throughout the city,with vention Program(ADAPP). As part of this effort, some over 88 percent of them found to be cu r- 165 retailers licensed to sell alcoholic beverages were having such items on their rent ly selling studied and data related to the sales of single-serves were shelves. Other results of single—serves. :ollected. These included the different sizes and types of the survey are listed in the ;uch items being sold as well as the amount of shelf space table below. Research Finding: Single-Serves in the City of San Bernardino r Of the 165 off—sale alcohol licensees that were surveyed.a total • Most super markets mid many Ahf/PM type stores also sold singles of 146 had alcoholic single serve items for sale.These stores hr- shrink-wrapped in packages of 2 or 3 24oz.containers. cluded plumnacies.discount stores and some gas stations and mud- * It was noted that retailers located further south(central or down- size markets. town San Bernardino)and south west(westside San Bermudian) r All of the stores that sold singles had the items in various sizes,but of the city had the malt liquor products more prominently dis- the most fiequendy observed size was the 24 oz can. All of the played in the cooler section at,or above,eye level. In the northern super markets and many of the smaller off—sale stores also sold parts of the city the malt liquor had less shelf space and was often alcohol in 32 oz and 40 oz size glass containers. displayed below eye level. All the major alcohol brands were being sold in single serve con- • It was noted that approximately 10%of the stores had special ads' tainers.Super markets that catered to the Hispanic community also displays to promote single serve items such as barrels of ice or included favorite Mexican beer brands Modelo and Tecate in 24 oz posted ads offering 2 for a reduced price. One store had a hand- single cars. written sign posted on the cooler door that stated you had to buy 2 P Most of the stores had between 6 and 8 cooler sections available singles at a time. for display of beverages.Of these.between 1 to 2 cooler sections • One Hispanic super market had a special plastic container affixed usually had single serve products on display for sale. to the cooler door that stated in Spanish:Don't forget the lemons! All the stores sold the higher alcohol content malt liquor in single • Stores that were visited between the hours of 2 pm to 5 pm were serve containers.Alcohol was also available in regular beer.lite observed to have customers buying single-serve items.Such cus- beer and lite malt liquor. toners were mostly males from 25 to 45 years old. Single Serve Alcoholic Beverages Page 3 Bernardino:City of San . Package Stores • � z Y a • 1 p • •• ••3 •. E u � EwRwN1 W'.T •M1n� 11 � - • Z O .J w • L D a. WON ".- 4 i • �{o�� • _.. �. O V • ® Y • Y 8 • • � 'w tiN • • •� oc ~• • �` a• oO• � .• • s 6 0 ® • • � • . Y m — � E a • • • p..1 s • ♦ • :. • • • • • • • • • • wm ` estem; ..• ` i• • f A s wm z � cr • • .w� • • G iy •' Southern •• Ecertw.wr' • • • k e a wow � s EowswcESwwvo - E . � 1 7 Z Y EMEF DR T • J3 J Ev DEMYLLi w • v ABC License Types ' • Package Store ABC Licenses • • • 2007 Violence Cr mes 0 0.5 1 2 3 4 Miles GIS trapping of the Central portion of the Citv of San Bernardino slows how often violent crimes(red dots)ocan-within a one- half mile radius(indicated by the blue circles)from ABC licensed alcoholic retailers(blue Mangles).Data collected by San Ber nardino Police Department in 1007.Note:Part-1 crimes are a category of crimes that are generally considered more serious. Single Serve Alcoholic Beverages Page 4 Future Directions to deal with problem businesses. These may include a stronger conditional use permitting process for any new Although sales of single-serves are widespread in San businesses and what is known as a"Deemed Approved" Bernardino,it is actually illegal for some of the city's re- ordinance for those already in existence. In addition,there tailers to be selling products packaged in this way. This is is another initiative currently under way to encourage vol- because of restrictions placed on these businesses by the antary removal of single-serve products from the shelves city at the time their alcohol license was issued. Known as by retailers who are not currently required to do so by the a Conditional Use Permit, such regulations are intended to law. Coordinated by the Office of the Mayor through the ensure the public's health and safety, and all retailers are Operation Phoenix program, such action is expected to required to comply with the restrictions imposed by them reduce crime and improve the local business climate. However,as demonstrated by the survey cited previously, at least some of the city's retailers have been failing to meet this obligation. References 1. Alcohol.Energy Drinks.and Youth:A Dangerous Mix.Main In response to this problem, the Office of the City Attor- Institute Report.2007 ney launched an enforcement campaign in May, 2009 to 2. "Liquid crack:Malt liquor is the cheapest high you can get.It bring local alcohol retailers into compliance with all regu- sells for as little as$1.39 for a 40-ounce bottle,which is equal to lations. This campaign has been successful with cited five shots of whiskey.- Metroact ve.Sonora Coun(rindepend- businesses removing the banned products from their ent,October. 1997 shelves. However, enforcement alone can not solve the 3. Bluthenthal.R.N.:Brown-Taylor.D:Gunuan-Becema.N:Rob- inson.P.L:Characteristics of Malt Liquor Beer Drinkers in a problem, as many retailers are exempt from the ban,hav- tow-income.Racial Minority Community Sample.Alcoholism: ing been in business before it went into effect. Therefore, Clinical&Experimental Research.March,2005 public officials feel that additional regulations are needed 4. Normal looks at single serve alcohol ban.The Daily Vidette.. 2114/2008 5. City Sauuples Single-Serve Alcohol Laws.RedOrbit News. NV Gtr Vexj 12/15/2005 Ir s"rttr 'k 6. Council aims to widen sales ban of single containers of beer in G0 D.C.,E.rarninerrom.Jim 19.2008 tic t a Qr m P 7. D.Coate and M.Grossman."Effects of alcoholic beverage prices and legal drinking ages on youth alcohol arse."Journal of Lav and Economics 31(1988):145-171. 8. M.Grossman D.Coate.and G.M.Arluck,"Price sensitivity of e 2 alcoholic beverages in the United States:Youth alcohol con- {• sumption,"in Control Issues in Alcohol Abuse Prevention: _! Strategies for States and Commtmifies(Greenwich.CT:JAI Press, 1987). 169-198 9. Grant.B.F..and Dawson D.A.(1997)."Age of onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and depend- ence:Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidend- ologic survey."Journal of Substance Abuse.9: 103.110. 10.Scribner.R.A..MacKinnon.D.P.&Dwyer.J.H.(1995).The rte. risk of assadRVe violence and alcohol availability in Los Ange- les County.American Journal ofPublir Health.(85)3.335-340. 11. Scribner.R.A.,Cohen.D..Kaplan,S.,&Allen S.H.(1999). Alcohol availability and homicide in New Orleans:Conceptual _ ry considerations for small area analysis of the effect of alcohol outlet density.Journal of Studies on Alcohol.60.310-316. 12.Fewer liquor stores.less violence(2003).Prevention File, 18 After being cited for violating the restriction against selling (q,2. single serve alcoholic beverages, a local convenience store 13.Parker.R.N.,Alcohol and Violence:Connections.Evidence and removed the items from their shelves and posted n sign iadicnt_ Possibilities for Prevention.Jounial ofPswho ictim Dnigs, ing thm,were no longer allowed to sell such items. SARC Supplement 2.May 2004. This Issue Briefing was developed by the Coalition for a Drug-Free San Bernardino with technical assistance from the Institute for Public Strategies: www.nublicstrateeies.ore 1881 Commercenter East,Suite 138,San Bernardino, CA 91408. Phone:(909)266-1660 Report on Analysis of Violence, Alcohol Outlets, and Sales of Single Serve Containers of Alcohol in San Bernardino, 2007-2009 Robert Nash Parker Kevin McCaffree Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies Department of Sociology University of California, Riverside In 2007 our assistance was requested by the Institute for Public Strategies and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health,two prevention agencies working to reduce alcohol related problems in the City of San Bernardino,California.An issue of concern for these agencies, as well as for the city,was the sale of single serve containers of alcohol beverages. These containers,which are usually sold cold with the notion of immediate consumption,had raised concerns among city officials, law enforcement,and members of the Drug Free San Bernardino Coalition,a local substance abuse prevention group.These groups,as well as others in the community,felt that the availability of single serve alcoholic beverages was problematic,contributing to crime,violence,and disorder in and about the community.Their question was whether or not such a relationship could be verified through objective research methods. To accommodate this request,we collected data on alcohol outlet locations, addressed-based violent crime reported to the San Bernardino Police Department,and US Census data from 2000 on a variety of population,family,and age indicators.Then, using a Geographic Information Systems framework,in which the spatial, physical relationship between variables such as violence,alcohol availability,and other relevant factors can be assessed at a detailed, neighborhood-like level, we began to construct maps of the City of San Bernardino using the U.S.Census block group as the unit of study. These units are usually made up of between 4 and 8 city blocks,with a population varying(in 2000) between 200 and 2000;these are the smallest geographic units for which data on racial and ethnic composition is routinely available from the U.S.Census. An important issue was how to assess the degree of sales and business in an outlet generated from standard purchases of bottles of wine,six, 12,and 24 packs of beer and other beverages clearly purchased for consumption elsewhere versus those generated from Report:Violence and Sales of Alcohol in Single Serve Containers Page 2 of 3 the sale of single serve alcohol beverage containers, almost always sold chilled and ready to consume as soon as the customer exits the front door of the establishment. We suggested that a good, if indirect, indicator of the importance of single serve sales to a retail establishment would be to determine the percentage of cooler shelf space for alcoholic beverages that was devoted to single serve containers. For example, if a retail establishment had ten standard coolers(three-foot wide, running from floor to ceiling)or the equivalent devoted to alcoholic beverages,and only one of them was devoted to single serve containers,the inference would be that single serves represent a relatively small portion of the total volume of alcohol being sold at the establishment. However, if 30%of cooler space was devoted to this type of product,it would indicate that single serves represent a major portion of alcohol sales at a particular establishment. Furthermore,we would expect that if alcohol from single serve containers is being immediately consumed, rates of violence would tend to be higher around retailers with higher percentages of cooler space devoted to these products. To test this hypothesis, staff members from the Department of Public Health's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program surveyed every alcohol retail outlet in the city, recording the address of the outlet,the total number of coolers containing alcoholic beverages,and as a subset of this latter measure,the amount of cooler space devoted to single serve containers. These data were then linked by address to the outlets and thus as well to the Census block groups. Maps 1,2, and 3 show these data in the context of San Bernardino,as they and the city are geographically represented. Map 1 shows the concentration of retail alcohol outlets in San Bernardino;the outlets included here were those visited to gather information on cooler space devoted to single serve containers. Map 2 shows the areas of high, moderate, and low/zero violent crime, a category which included homicide, rape, assault,and robbery, with data provided by the San Bernardino Police Department for the 2007 calendar year. Map 3 shows the same data in the background,while in the foreground two types of retail establishments are shown:the red dots represent outlets that had 20%or more of their shelf space devoted to single serve containers;the green number signs represent outlets with less than 10%of cooler space devoted to such containers(outlets shown on this map outside the city boundaries were not included in the analysis discussed below). These results suggest that there may be a link between single serve container availability and violence with the correlation between average cooler space devoted to single serve containers and the violent crime rate being.39 for the Census block groups inside the city limits shown on these maps. Although this correlation is evidence of a relationship,further analysis is needed to provide evidence that this relationship is an important one for understanding how violence Report:Violence and Sales of Alcohol in Single Serve Containers Page 3 of 3 rates differ across parts of San Bernardino. First of all,violence is a complex phenomenon that has multiple causes,and in order to suggest that single serve container availability has an important impact,such that policies aimed at reducing violence should be framed around regulating this retail activity,additional variables identified in previous research as predictors of violence must be included in the analysis. This will allow us to have more confidence in our findings about the effect of single serve availability,as we will have accounted for other important predictors of violence as well.The research term for this is a net effect,that is,the effect of single serve availability after we account for the effects of other important factors. A specific example of this problem is the well known impact on violence that alcohol availability in general has. Many studies have shown an impact, net of other predictors,of alcohol outlet density on violent crime,so the question here is whether single serve availability has a net effect on violence after the impact of general availability of alcohol is accounted for. In order to address these issues,we conducted a geo-spatial, multivariate analysis that takes into account the small space,geographic nature of these data (such data requires special statistical treatment)and involves computing net effects of density and single serve on violence independent of other factors. Based on prior research and data availability,the other measures we included were the presence of ethnic minorities(in this case,the percent of Latino population),the age structure (percent of people age 18-29),family structure and poverty(the percent of all families that are female headed with children under 18 present),and the housing structure of the neighborhood (percent of housing units that are unoccupied). The results of this analysis show that although outlet density had a significant net effect,so did single serve availability,controlling for outlet density and the other factors discussed above. The impact of both alcohol-related variables was positive,so that in areas with higher average percentages of single serve availability,violence rates were also higher, as was the case for areas with higher outlet density. The percentage of vacant housing was also associated with higher rates of violence. These results suggest that using a regulatory approach to alcohol availability and, specifically,to single serve container availability, may be an effective one as part of an overall strategy designed to reduce violence in San Bernardino.One such regulatory measure would be the adoption of a Deemed Approved Ordinance, which would give the city more authority to set acceptable standards of practice for alcohol retailers.This approach has been effective in reducing problems around alcohol outlets in several other California municipalities. Noted examples have been The City of Oakland and Ventura County. 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