May 12, 2016 · Team HG
The Groningen nightlife crowd has become older compared to ten years ago and feels safer. Additionally, alcohol remains just as popular, and drug use has increased slightly. Earlier this year, Intraval released research results regarding the nightlife crowd in the camera zones and in the Kromme Elleboog.
The Municipality of Groningen has commissioned a research and consultancy firm. Intraval to gauge the sense of (in)security among the nightlife crowd in the areas of the city center with camera surveillance. This concerns the areas around the Grote Markt, Poelestraat, Peperstraat, and Gelkingestraat. The neighborhood of the Kromme Elleboog was also included in the study. The measurements took place primarily in late 2015 and the research report was published in January 2016.
Research
The respondents were initially divided into three age groups, but the results showed that the ‘under 18’ age group was hardly represented; the audience is getting older. Therefore, the following division was chosen: up to and including 25 years and over 25 years. On various nights out, they were approached on the street and asked if they would like to participate in a study. Subsequently, they were interviewed by telephone – if permission was granted.
Questions primarily concerned perceptions of (in)security, camera surveillance, violent crimes, alcohol and drug use, nightlife behavior, hospitality (staff), and bouncers. Ultimately, there were 301 respondents for the study. In both the camera areas and the Kromme Elleboog, the majority of passers-by are men.
Alcohol and drug use
The individuals interviewed in the camera areas consume an average of eight glasses of alcohol per night out, just like ten years ago. In De Kromme Elleboog, that average is six. There is no difference between age groups in either case; however, there is a difference between genders, with men drinking significantly more glasses than women.
Drug use during nights out stands at 13% in the camera areas and 6% in De Kromme Elleboog; this primarily involves ecstasy, soft drugs, cocaine, and speed. Ten years ago, this was 11% and soft drugs were still the most used drug; in recent years, hard drugs have become more popular.
Admissions policy
Over 84% of respondents approached in the camera areas indicate that visitors/customers are sometimes refused entry. In De Kromme Elleboog, this number stands at 34%. In both cases, it usually concerns the behavior of the person being refused entry. Refusal occurs more frequently in cases of drunkenness or aggression than on the basis of clothing or ethnicity.
Insecurity
Ten years ago, in a similar study by Interval, 28% of the 300 respondents indicated that they sometimes felt unsafe. This year, this applies to 17% of respondents in the camera areas and to 3% in the Kromme Elleboog. In both cases, it appears that the younger age group is affected by this more often, and that when considering gender, women give this answer more frequently than men. The reasons behind these figures are primarily (groups of) individuals behaving aggressively or being very drunk.
Aggression and violence
Almost all visitors to the camera areas (92%) indicate having witnessed aggression or violence while going out in the past 12 months. For visitors to De Kromme Elleboog, this percentage is 34. This primarily concerns verbal aggression on the street or in hospitality establishments. Other responses (though to a lesser extent) include vandalism, violence, and threats.
Theft
A quarter of the 200 respondents from the camera areas have had something or an object stolen at some point in the past year. In De Kromme Elleboog, this applies to 5% of the 101 respondents; in this case, it concerns the theft of a bicycle. Jackets and phones are also occasionally stolen in the camera areas. The younger age group (up to and including 25 years) suffers from this more often than those who have already passed the age of 25.
Supervision
When asked about police surveillance, it emerges that only 2% of respondents from the camera-monitored areas indicate not encountering any police. In De Kromme Elleboog, this number is significantly higher: 34%. For those who report seeing police in both nightlife areas, the majority indicate that there is indeed enough police presence on the streets. The attitude of the police is generally perceived as friendly. Individuals who do not agree with this state that the police need to act tougher, be sharper, or have too much black-and-white thinking.
About het algemeen wordt gevonden dat er genoeg portiers zijn in de uitgaansgebieden. In de Kromme Elleboog geeft 50% aan dat er geen portiers zijn, maar 60% van de personen die aangeven wel portiers mee te maken, vindt de houding van deze portiers (zeer) vriendelijk. In de cameragebieden ligt dit percentage lager: op 47%.
In both areas, the majority of visitors indicate that they do not feel safer due to the presence of camera surveillance; only one-third in both cases do feel safer. Over two-thirds (66%) of respondents in the camera areas are aware of the camera surveillance in their neighborhood, with younger people (50%) being less aware of this than the older age group (84%).
Via DvhN
Photo: Facebook KEI-week Groningen
