Examining Spatiotemporal Patterns of Disorder at Bars in Newark, NJ By Rosalyn Bocker Parks A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-Newark Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Criminal Justice Written under the direction of: Dr. James O. Finckenauer and approved by: Dr. James O. Finckenauer Dr. Ronald V. Clarke Dr. Anthony Braga Dr. Marcus Felson Newark, NJ May, 2015 © 2015 Rosalyn Bocker Parks ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Abstract Alcohol has long been considered a correlate of crime and disorder. Research into alcohol related crime and disorder has identified a number of risk factors and has recommended interventions aimed at reducing these problems. Research provides insight into how the police, community, and bar owners and managers can reduce crime and disorder at bar locations and where these actions should be undertaken. However, there is scarce research guiding when these interventions should take place. While the interaction of time and place plays an important role in bar and disorder research, a systematic examination of these temporal and spatial patterns of disorder concentrations at bar locations has not been undertaken. The goal of this research was to examine spatial and temporal concentrations of disorder at bars. Using two years of police data on disorder calls for service at bars, this research began with a J-curve analysis for each year of police data. The results were used to identify the bars with the most disorder calls for service in each year and allowed for comparisons between the two years. Next, the data was analyzed using a series of temporal factors such as time of day, day of the week, season of the year, and year-to- year comparisons to identify when the highest concentrations of bar disorder calls for service are most likely to occur. The identified temporal patterns of the concentration of disorder calls for service at bars were utilized to create statistically significant hotspots maps of spatial concentrations. Hotspots of disorder were most frequently located in the popular nightlife areas of the Ironbound and South Ironbound during the weekend, and in the Central Business District and Ironbound during the week. Bar disorder concentrated during the 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. time period (approximately 48 percent of all bar disorder) and hotspots of disorder ii were located within the Ironbound and South Ironbound neighborhoods -- popular nightlife areas in Newark. The J-curve distribution analysis also identified the same bars as having disproportionate levels of disorder over the study period. Seven of the top ten most disorderly bars identified by the J-curve analysis in 2010 were also among the top ten most disorderly establishments in 2011, indicating a degree of continuity when examining bars with disproportionately high levels of disorder. The results of this inquiry can be used to guide not only where but when targeted interventions should be implemented in order to generate the greatest crime control and prevention benefits. The products of this research expand the existing body of academic literature and provide valuable information to police officers, community leaders and those who live near, work in and patronize drinking establishments in Newark, NJ. iii Acknowledgements At this memorable moment in both my academic career and personal life, it is only fitting that I thank the many, many people who helped me achieve all that I have. A most appropriate phrase comes to mind: “I stand on the shoulders of giants.” I am proud and, to be perfectly honest, a bit stunned to look back on this period of my life and see the results of years of work coming to an end. At every stage of this journey I have been guided, encouraged, supported, loved, and yes, at times been dragged kicking and screaming to this day. If I have forgotten to include anyone below, I offer my deepest apologies. Please know how eternally grateful I am for you and all of your kindness. Rutgers School of Criminal Justice I am very grateful to Dr. Finckenauer, the chair of my dissertation committee. His guidance throughout the dissertation has been priceless. Through his comments, constructive criticism, and encouragement he challenged me to grow as a writer, scholar and researcher, and for that I am incredibly thankful. Dr. Anthony Braga, Dr. Ronald V. Clarke, and Dr. Marcus Felson were also important members of my dissertation committee. They were extremely generous with their advice and support. Their critiques, suggestions and willingness to discuss various aspects of my research helped me to both develop and refine this work. I truly appreciate the opportunity to learn from them. I also owe Dr. Wayne Fisher a debt of gratitude. One of my first professors in the doctoral program, Dr. Fisher’s “Issues in Policing” course set the foundation for what would become my area of specialization. He also included me on a number of different iv projects as a graduate assistant. These incomparable opportunities helped me gain experience in the field and allowed me to meet and work with both academics and practitioners from diverse areas of criminal justice. His support over the past five and a half years has been incredible and invaluable. I couldn’t ask for better mentors than these five gentlemen. Police Institute I am fortunate to work with an amazing and talented group of people at the Rutgers University Police Institute. Executive Director Thomas O’Reilly and Associate Director Linda Tartaglia understood my need to balance both work and a writing schedule and supported my research. Ron Lyman, Jr., Director of the NJ Violence Reduction Initiative, let me ask a million questions about the neighborhoods surrounding drinking establishments in Newark. Deb Knapp, Project Manager, listened to me practice my presentations (over and over) and offered suggestions and encouragement. Lori Scott- Pickens, Director of Community Outreach/Community Based Learning for the School of Criminal Justice, not only took me on a road trip to see the most disorderly bars firsthand, she also gave me a citywide tour of Newark’s neighborhoods and told me about the history of the places and spaces that underpin the context of this study. All of these conversations brought research, theory and practice together with a real world context and have made me a better researcher. Friends and Colleagues Friends, fellow students and colleagues have been also played an important part in this endeavor. Even with his busy schedule, Dr. Eric Piza let me pick his brain many v times, including one fateful conversation that began with, “Ever heard of the J-Curve?” I would also like to thank Gerarda Shields, PhD, PE. A former mentee of my mother, she graciously gave advice to me in turn. She was kind enough to share her experiences with me on the dissertation writing progress, gave recommendations for presentations, and offered moral support. I hope to continue to pay it forward to others one day. I also have many friends in this doctoral program who were in the unique position of knowing exactly how simultaneously wonderful and terrifying this process can be. Thank you for all of your kindnesses, large and small, and for some incredible memories. Whether it was marathon study sessions before the qualifier, dancing at my wedding, or lending a sympathetic ear in the library, you each reminded me to laugh, smile and that we would, in fact, survive. Taken together, these past few years have held some of my happiest moments. Thank you for being there for all of them. Family I am fortunate to have a large family of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and sisters. Whether blood relations, friends of the family, or in-laws, they have constantly surrounded me with love, understanding, and much needed humor. I am particularly grateful for your enthusiasm in my research even when it doesn’t really make sense. Your polite nodding and thumbs ups speak volumes. The baked goods are always appreciated. The advice and encouragement I’ve received over the years is endless. I will share here two brief anecdotes from maternal grandparents, Jim and Lucia Giorgi. My grandmother was the first in her family to graduate from high school and was vi one of the first women to work on Wall Street. When she left the workforce to raise a family she was adamant that all four of her children, two sons and two daughters, got a college education. At a time when women were still few and far between in the fields of medicine and engineering, she made sure her daughters had the support and opportunity to achieve their dreams. She has shown the same support to all four of her granddaughters. My grandfather was a lieutenant in the Port Authority Police Department. He served for 15 years before transitioning into a management role at the George Washington Bridge. When he was on the job in the 1950s and 1960s the majority of officers had only a high school education. He not only had a college degree, he went on to earn his master’s degree and serve at Police Division Headquarters in the newly created position of Research Lieutenant. His lifelong love of learning has been an inspiration. Together with the rest of my family, they have been the bright spot in my life even on the most difficult of days. To say my parents, Anthony and Andrea Bocker, have supported my academic career is an understatement. They have supported me in everything I do. They are my role models for the kind of person I hope to become, both professionally and personally. For my entire life I have watched my parents do every task before them to the best of their ability, help those around them become the best versions of themselves, and stand by their decisions, even when doing the right thing was difficult.