Abstract
This article aims to highlight the neglected issue of ‘glassing’ injury risk from off-trade alcohol bottles. The study participants included a survey of male Young Offenders (n=172) recruited during their induction into Scotland's only Young Offenders Institution in 2007 and an interview sample (n=30) recruited in the same way during 2008. A self-complete questionnaire enquired about respondent's drinking and offending. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to qualitatively investigate issues raised by the 2007 survey. The survey comprised more than a quarter of Scotland's male Young Offenders. Over 80 per cent had been drinking before their current offence. Approximately two-thirds reported using a weapon (80 per cent while under the influence of alcohol). After knives, bottles were their most often ‘used’ weapon. Unlike knives, bottles were seldom reported as being ‘carried’. Interviewees more often gave accounts of using bottles than any other potential weapon, suggesting that bottles may not be considered as a weapon (in the same way as knives), but simply happen to be omnipresent when alcohol-related violence occurs. On-trade glass was never mentioned during this research. There is a clear need to highlight the risks posed by off-trade alcohol glassware, and for this to be replaced with plastic containers where possible.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bleetman, A., Perry, C.H., Crawford, R. and Swann, I.J. (1997) Effect of strathclyde police initiative ‘operation blade’ on accident and emergency attendances due to assault. Journal of Accident and Emergency Medicine 14 (3): 153–156.
Braiden, G. (2010) Pubs told: Use safer glasses or face closure. The Herald, 5 June.
Cassematis, P. and Mazerolle, P. (2009) Understanding Glassing Incidents on Licensed Premises: Dimensions, Prevention and Control. Online Report http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/resources/liquorDocs/Glassing_Incidents_Final_Report_Sept_2009.pdf, accessed June 2010.
Christian, N. (2005) Scotland tops UN danger list with ‘booze and blades’ culture. Scotland on Sunday, 18 September.
City of Greater Geelong. (1997) ‘Stay Cool’, Enjoy the Nightlife and Help Keep Geelong a Safe City. Geelong, Australia: Geelong Regional Liquor Licensing Accord, http://www.geelongcity.vic.gov.au/ct/documents/item/8cc7dd1b0365813.aspx, accessed June 2010.
Cole, J., Plant, M., Miller, P., Plant, M. and Nichol, P. (1994) Preventing injuries from bar glasses. British Medical Journal 308: 1237–1238.
Collins, J.J. and Messerschmidt, P.M. (1993) Epidemiology of alcohol-related violence. Alcohol Health and Research World 17 (2): 93–99.
Coomaraswamy, K.S. and Shepherd, J.P. (2003) Predictors and severity of injury in assaults with barglasses and bottles. Injury Prevention 9: 81–84.
Eades, C., Grimshaw, R., Silvestri, A. and Solomon, E. (2007) ‘Knife Crime’: A Review of Evidence and Policy. London: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.
Engineer, R., Phillips, A., Thompson, J. and Nicholls, J. (2003) Drunk and Disorderly: A Qualitative Study of Binge Drinking Among 18 to 24 Years Olds. Home Office Research Study No. 262. London: Home Office.
Felson, M. (2008) Situational crime prevention. In: G.G. Shoham, O. Beck and M. Kett (eds.) International Handbook of Penology and Criminal Justice, Chapter 8, London: Taylor Francis, pp. 295–320.
Felson, M., Berends, R., Richardson, B. and Veno, A. (1997) Reducing pub hopping and related crime. In: R. Homel (ed.) Crime Prevention Studies: Reducing Crime, Public Intoxication and Injury, Vol. 7. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press, pp. 115–132.
Felson, M. and Clarke, R.V. (1998) Opportunity Makes the Thief. Police Research Series Paper 98, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. London: Home Office.
Fergusson, D.M., Lynskey, M.T. and Horwood, L.J. (1996) Alcohol misuse and juvenile offending in adolescence. Addiction 91 (4): 483–494.
Forsyth, A.J.M. (2008) Banning glassware from nightclubs in Glasgow (Scotland): Observed impacts, compliance and patron's views. Alcohol & Alcoholism 43 (1): 111–117.
Forsyth, A.J.M. and Davidson, N. (2009) The nature and extent of illegal drug and alcohol-related litter in a Scottish social housing community: A photographic investigation. Addiction Research & Theory, DOI: 10.1080/16066350802559464.
Fraser, D. (2005) New laws to tackle ‘booze and blades'. The Herald, 4 October.
Galloway, J., Forsyth, A.J.M. and Shewan, D. (2007) Young People's Street Drinking Behaviour: Investigating the Influence of Marketing & Subculture. London: Alcohol Education Research Council.
Graham, K. and Wells, S. (2003) Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight’: Aggression among young males in bars – a question of values. British Journal of Criminology 43 (3): 546–566.
Graham, K., Wells, S. and West, P. (1997) A framework for applying explanations of alcohol-related aggression to naturally occurring aggressive behavior. Contemporary Drug Problems 24 (4): 625–666.
Hern, E., Glazebrook, W. and Beckett, M. (2005) Reducing knife crime: We need to ban the sale of long pointed kitchen knives. British Medical Journal 330: 1221–1222.
Home Office. (2010) Revolutionary new pint glasses designed to make drinking safer. Online publication. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/safer-pint-glasses.html, accessed June 2010.
Hughes, K., Anderson, Z., Morleo, M. and Bellis, M.A. (2008) Alcohol, nightlife and violence: The relative contributions of drinking before and during nights out to negative health and criminal justice outcomes. Addiction 103 (1): 61–65.
Leonard, K.E., Collins, R.L. and Quigley, B.M. (2003) Alcohol consumption and the occurrence and severity of aggression: An event-based analysis of male to male barroom violence. Aggressive Behaviour 29: 346–365.
Leyland, A.H. (2006) Homicides involving knives and other sharp objects in Scotland, 1981–2003. Journal of Public Health 28 (2): 145–147.
Lucas, G. (2010) Design set to make the pint glass safer. Creative Review, 5 February. http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/february/new-pint-glass-design-set-to-slash-glassing-incidents, accessed June 2010.
Lynch, M. and Black, M. (2008) A tale of two cities: A review of homicide in Melbourne and Glasgow in 2005. Medicine, Science, and the Law 48 (1): 24–30.
MacLeod, A. (2005) Booze and blades’ push murder rate to new high. The Times, 12 December.
Maxwell, R., Trotter, C., Verne, J., Brown, P. and Gunell, D. (2007) Trends in admissions to hospital involving an assault using a knife or other sharp instrument, England, 1997–2005. Journal of Public Health 29 (2): 186–190.
Navis, C., Brown, S.L. and Heim, D. (2008) Predictors of injurious assault committed during or after drinking alcohol: A case-control study of young offenders. Aggressive Behavior 34 (2): 167–174.
Nicholson, S. (2007) ‘Blades and booze’ fuel rise in killings. Daily Mail, 19 December.
Norstrom, T. (1998) Effects on criminal violence of different beverage types and private and public drinking. Addiction 93 (5): 689–699.
Richardson, A. and Budd, T. (2003) Alcohol, Crime and Disorder: A Study of Young Adults. Home Office Research Study 263. London: Home Office.
Sayette, M.A. (1993) An appraisal-disruption model of alcohol's effect on stress responses in social drinkers. Psychological Bulletin 114 (3): 459–476.
Scottish Executive. (2005) Tackling Knife Crime: A Consultation. Edinburgh, UK: Scottish Executive.
Scribner, R., Cohen, D., Kaplan, S. and Allen, S.H. (1999) Alcohol availability and homicide in New Orleans: Conceptualised considerations for small area analysis of the effect of alcohol outlet density. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 60 (3): 310–317.
Shepherd, J.P. (1994) Preventing injuries from bar glasses. British Medical Journal 308: 932–933.
Squires, P. (2009) The knife crime ‘epidemic’ and British politics. British Politics 4 (1): 127–157.
Warburton, A.L. and Shepherd, J.P. (2000) Effectiveness of toughened glassware in terms of reducing injury in bars: A randomised controlled trial. Injury Prevention 6: 36–40.
Webb, E., Wyatt, J.P., Henry, J. and Busuttil, A. (1999) A comparison of fatal with non-fatal knife injuries in Edinburgh. Forensic Science International 99: 179–187.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Scottish Prison Service. The authors would like to thank the staff at HMYOI Polmont, particularly Bobby Wilson, and also the prisoners who participated. We would also like to acknowledge the role played by the late Dr David Shewan in facilitating this project. Disclaimer The content and comments herein are those of the authors and not the views of the Scottish Prison Service.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Forsyth, A., Khan, F. & McKinlay, W. The use of off-trade glass as a weapon in violent assaults by Young Offenders. Crime Prev Community Saf 12, 233–245 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/cpcs.2010.12
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/cpcs.2010.12