HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-16-2016 Public Comment, LucasCOUNCIL MEETING: --O.
ITEM NO.:
SLO County should deal with alcohol-related crime
Published in the San Luis Obispo Tribune on November 26th 2015
As a physician and psychiatrist with experience in the rehabilitation of youthful
offenders, I call on our community to rise to the task of meeting with the surge of
assault and drunkenness on the part of our youth.
Statistics illustrate the problem: San Luis Obispo is only safer than 9 percent of all
U.S. cities ("San Luis Obispo crime rates — Neigh borhoodScout"). In 2010, there
were 64 assaults and in 2014, 168 — more than double the rate ("Reports of rape,
assault in SLO for 2014 were highest in the last decade," June 6).
Cross-sectional data from 74 Los Angeles County cities reveal, "... higher alcohol
outlet density is associated with a higher rate of assaultive violence.... 1 outlet
was associated with 3.4 additional assaultive violent offenses" ("Do Liquor Stores
Increase Crime and Urban Decay? Evidence from Los Angeles," Bing-ru Teh, UC
Berkeley).
To deal with this problem in public health most cogently, I recommend that our
city council assemble a workshop of its elements: bar owners, students, faculty,
citizens and police.
Joseph Abrahams MD
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/letters-to-the editor/article46647010.html
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