PhD Research Project

Policing the night-time economy in Scottish towns and cities

Supervisors: Professor Nick Fyfe and Dr Martin Elvins University of Dundee

PhD Student: Neil Davidson University of Dundee

Summary:

Growing popularity of the night-time leisure industry in the UK as a result of changing social, cultural and economic patterns has created a situation where excessive alcohol consumption and public disorder and violence are commonplace. A growing body of research has examined these issues at length, however, this research focuses on the role of policing.

Aims & Objectives:

This project is concerned primarily with the issues of control, regulation and public order in three separate case study areas and how those seeking to regulate and control the night-time economy, specifically the police, have responded. Using a mixture of qualitative – including multiple interviews and fieldwork with the police – and quantitative – statistical data sets – research methods, the projects main aims are to:

• Examine the regulatory and legal framework pertaining to the night-time economy (NTE) and assess how this has changed over time
• Define what constitutes the NTE in the case study areas by identifying the major areas of NTE activity and the corresponding facilities and amenities and how this has changed over time
• Identify the key stakeholders involved in, or effected by, the policing of the NTE of each of the case study areas including the police, owners/operators of bars/clubs and their private security and personnel, patrons of the NTE, A & E departments, licensing boards, planning departments of local authorities, taxi rank supervisors etc.
• With respect to these stakeholders examine:
  • Perceptions of the nature of the NTE in the area, with particular attention to views of crime and disorder
  • Perceptions of the policing of the NTE in terms of resources and deployment, challenges and effectiveness, and inter-agency co-operation
  • Perceptions of how the policing of the NTE might be made more effective
• Draw out the policy implications of the project findings for different stakeholders involved with policing the NTE

Publications: SIPR Research Summary: Policing the night-time economy in Scottish towns and cities.

 

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• SIPR Post-Doctoral Research Assistants (PDRAs)
  
  
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