Door supervision : location, capability, collaboration

• Main Author: Wilson, Alistair
• Other Authors: Costello, Andrew ; Farrall, Stephen ; Brown, Mark
• Published: University of Sheffield 2015
• Subjects: 340
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.680583

Borrowing from theory ranging from routine activities (Cohen and Felson, 1979) to Eck's (2003) controller concept this thesis focuses on two under-researched but growing aspects of criminology, making an original contribution to both. The focus is on rural crime in the night-time economy and the door supervisors who guard the venues within it. The multi-method approach which combines observation, interview, and questionnaire analysis enables recommendations for reducing conflict and effectively tackling violence and aggression in night-time venues. The thesis first explores the relationship between location and drinking environment at ‘Brassville’, a rural research site and ‘Horsefield’, an urban research site. The thesis finds a striking similarity in the drinking structure and habits of rural customers when compared to urban customers. Severe incidents of violence were documented in Brassville, and although rural and urban violent crime rates remain significantly different, one rural area of the district in which both research sites sit had a higher rate of violence than urban areas over a thirty–four month period. Second, it explores capability among door supervisors (more commonly known as 'Bouncers' (Hobbs, Hadfield, Lister, & Winlow, 2003)) or 'place managers', following the introduction of the regulatory Security Industry Authority (SIA) in England and Wales. Capability, the ability to competently and efficiently carry out a duty, of guardians is identified as crucial to safeguarding the public, whatever the location. Interviews with door supervisors inform the discussion on capability and highlight the importance of providing door supervisors with effective and practical training, creating capable guardians. Finally the thesis identifies and compares collaboration between door supervisors and the police. By examining the benefits and limitations of such collaboration, the thesis concludes that the nature of these relationships is often temperamental, and structure is needed to improve them.