Impact of NSW Lock-Out Laws on Binge Drinking Among Young Adults

This report investigates the effect of lock-out laws on binge drinking behaviors among young adults, particularly in New South Wales. It analyzes statistical data from Sydney CBD police stations to understand changes in drinking-related violence before and after the implementation of these laws. The project aims to correlate diverse data to determine the impact of lock-out laws on binge drinking, addressing the increasing social issue of alcohol abuse among young adults and its associated health and behavioral consequences. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary data from police records with primary data collected through interviews with young adults, using statistical tests to correlate drinking levels with crime and accident rates, and ultimately assessing whether the lock-out laws have led to a decline in binge drinking and related incidents.

Effect of lock-out laws impacting “Binge
Drinking” amongst Young People
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1.0 Introduction
Young adults between the age of 12 and 20 indulge themselves in varied types of
behaviours (Popovici & French, 2013). A major social challenge arise when young adults
involves themselves in “binge drinking”. It has been estimated that 11% of the young adults
consume a country’s alcohol in any given year. Male young adults drinking 5 or more drinks and
female drinking 4 or more is termed as binge drinking (Wellman et. al., 2014). The scope of this
study analyses project for intervention as lock-out laws that affect binge drinking behaviours
amongst young adults.
2.0 Project Description
The scope of this current project is meant at evaluating ways in which newly applied
lock-out laws in New South Wales is altering binge drinking behavioral patterns amongst young
adults. The project will aim at statistical analysis of data collected from various police stations
across Sydney CBD to understand drinking related violence before and after application of the
law. Majority of violent behaviour takes place after drinking and after 1.30 am. Young adults
cases reported in violence have been seen to be dramatically altered before and after the law. The
project will then aim at correlating diversified data obtained to form findings related to the case.
This will help evaluate impacts of lock out laws on binge drinking behaviours in young adults.
The current problem area that is being diagnosed is binge drinking amongst young
adults has increased significantly with availability of alcohol in pubs, hotels, restaurants, bars
and clubs. In most cases binge drinking has been known to have long term health impacts
(Buchmann et. al, 2009). This rising social issue has to be addressed for a better and healthier
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future of young adult population. Underage drinking patterns is a serious public health problem
in Australia, with alcohol being the most widely used material for abuse amongst its youth. It has
been known to pose high amounts of safety and health risks and also has significant behavioral
outcomes on aggressive behaviours, injuries, property damage, violence and even sometimes
deaths. It has been estimated that by the age of 15 years nearly 33% of teens have consumed
almost 1 drink, this factor rises with age as by 18 years of age almost 60% must have consumed
a drink.
3.0 Need and Benefit
Binge drinking has been seen to have various long term health related outcomes.
Research depicts that kids who drink perform poorly in their schools. Such drinking habits have
been known to affect growth, sexual development as well as brain development (Courtney &
Polich, 2009). Excessive drinking during young age have associated outcome later in life term. It
can impact on memory and have physical health consequences as heart problems and obesity. It
has been linked to abdominal fat later in life term and being overweight by lower good
cholesterol in the body (Wells et. al., 2010). Moreover excessive drinking has been associated
with violent behavioral outcomes. All research in the area has been focused on analysing
outcome associated with health of the young individual however there are no literatures that can
demonstrate outcome of behaviour associated with binge drinking behavioral patterns. The scope
of this study will evaluate direct impacts of lock out law on drinking patterns of young adults and
significant demonstration of reduction n in violence related crimes in a particular area.
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The long term benefits of the proposed project to the scientific community and society is
immense. It will help predict behavioral patterns of young adults with a quantity of alcohol in
their blood. It will help analyze impacts of alcohol induced behaviours in young adults, who
have been drinking regularly and amongst those who have been seldom drinking (Blazer & Wu,
2009). Post binge drinking young adults who have driven cars or undertaken any activity have
been known to cause accidents. Hence, this study can have direct implications to crimes and can
help police authorities identify evidences with ease.
4.0 Project Activities
The proposed project will be conducted in the given manner as per a Project Plan. A
Project Plan highlights details regarding an ongoing project as per the following;
Aims or Objectives of the Project: The research project will aim at analyzing behavioral
outcomes amongst young adults as a result of binge drinking, post application of lock-out law.
Description of Setting, Participants and Resources: The research will be conducted in main areas
of Sydney CBD, where there are maximum reported crime related and accident cases posts
drinking behaviours. The scholar will aim at two types of data collection one comprising of
secondary data from police sources related to crime including young adults in the area prior to
application of lock-out law. Second data will include primary data research where the scholar
will himself interview young adult population in the area. The data collected will maintain all
possible secrecy of information. Approximately data will be collected for over a period of 10
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days, with a minimum of attempted population comprising of 200 young adults. Out of 200
young adults approached, only 50 of them responded in a positive manner regarding their friends
or family person they know. Most of them were fearful regarding the consequences they would
face if they disclosed such information. 50 interested participants was called in a nearby coffee
shop and treated with coffee and snacks. They would be provided a certificate of participation
from the University as a token of appreciation for their participation. For the first day, they were
briefed regarding existing procedure and questions they will be asked for the study. The process
of interview started the following day with interviewing each participant with a set of 20
questions each. The entire interview was conducted in 2 slots over 2 day period. Interview
comprised of mostly open ended questions that participants had to answer.
These data randomly collected will include a set of questions being asked to participants
regarding number of drinks they had taken, any cases of violent or crime or accident they had
witnessed and so on. Prior to collecting information from participants, they will be informed that
their names or identity will not be disclosed during publishing of the research work. All data
collected will be recorded in a handbook as well as by means of a recorder. The data will reflect
versatile information which will be assembled and then statistical
Tests will be conducted on them. For every participant an alcohol breath tester will be carried
along, the scholar will consider only those cases that have above 40 mg/100 ml of air of alcohol
in their blood. The participant’s data had been collected using resources as note pad, pen, alcohol
breath tester, computer, internet connection and SPSS software. All resources were put into
effective use to make sure that the collected data is put to effective use. The scholar will make
use of several literatures that have conducted similar research in the domain. The literature will
provide valuable source of information for the entire project.
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Experimental Design: Anticipated Outcomes: The scholar will make use of positivity research
philosophy in order to establish findings. All data quantitative as well as qualitative will be
collected and analysed (Bartoli et. al, 2014). While qualitative data will be analysed using
inductive techniques, quantitative data will be analysed using statistical tools as SPSS analyses.
There will be scores assigned to each outcome from which scholar will ascertain calculating
correlation, regression score analysis(Czapla et. al., 2015). Level of drinking will be correlated
against crime and accident rates. A test for multi-variance will be conducted meaning multi-
ANOVA. Then findings will be analysed to arrive at a conclusion related to the study aims.
Anticipated outcomes for the research will be that there is a declining trend amongst
young adults involving in drinking habits. These promising declining drinking trends however
have minimum impacts on rate of crime and accidents in Sydney CBD area. The research will
aim at analysing effects of health along with crime and accident related outcomes per young
adult of the population.
5.0 Multi Disciplinarity
Mental and physiological health science has made immense contribution to tis domain
and project. These disciplines have made contributions to understanding of behaviour related
young adult binge drinking(Harrison, Desai & McKee, 2008). Mental health disciplines helps
understand behavioral related issues and other psychological challenges related to crimes.
Whereas physiological sciences allows understanding related to health impacts that can arise due
to excessive drinking(Wong, Kipke & Weiss, 2008). Both the sciences together can help
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understand outcomes from drinking behaviours. Young adults have been noted to be vulnerable
to depict varied complex types of reactions post drinking.
6.0 Conclusion
The project once completed can help reveal various types of behaviours that are exhibited
post drinking. This study once conducted can provide with several guidelines that can be
accommodated to prevent binge drinking behaviours amongst young adults. IT can also create
direction to spread awareness related to the same.
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Reference Lists
Bartoli, F., Carretta, D., Crocamo, C., Schivalocchi, A., Brambilla, G., Clerici, M. and Carrà, G.,
2014. Prevalence and correlates of binge drinking among young adults using alcohol: a cross-
sectional survey. BioMed research international, 2014.
Blazer, D.G. and Wu, L.T., 2009. The epidemiology of at-risk and binge drinking among middle-
aged and elderly community adults: National Survey on Drug Use and Health. American Journal
of Psychiatry, 166(10), pp.1162-1169.
Buchmann, A.F., Schmid, B., Blomeyer, D., Becker, K., Treutlein, J., Zimmermann, U.S.,
Jennen-Steinmetz, C., Schmidt, M.H., Esser, G., Banaschewski, T. and Rietschel, M., 2009.
Impact of age at first drink on vulnerability to alcohol-related problems: testing the marker
hypothesis in a prospective study of young adults. Journal of psychiatric research, 43(15),
pp.1205-1212.
Courtney, K.E. and Polich, J., 2009. Binge drinking in young adults: Data, definitions, and
determinants. Psychological bulletin, 135(1), p.142.
Czapla, M., Simon, J.J., Friederich, H.C., Herpertz, S.C., Zimmermann, P. and Loeber, S., 2015.
Is binge drinking in young adults associated with an alcohol-specific impairment of response
inhibition?. European addiction research, 21(2), pp.105-113.
Harrison, E.L., Desai, R.A. and McKee, S.A., 2008. Nondaily smoking and alcohol use,
hazardous drinking, and alcohol diagnoses among young adults: findings from the
NESARC. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 32(12), pp.2081-2087.
Popovici, I. and French, M.T., 2013. Binge drinking and sleep problems among young
adults. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 132(1), pp.207-215.
Wellman, R.J., Contreras, G.A., Dugas, E.N., O'loughlin, E.K. and O'loughlin, J.L., 2014.
Determinants of sustained binge drinking in young adults. Alcoholism: clinical and experimental
research, 38(5), pp.1409-1415.
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Wells, B.E., Kelly, B.C., Golub, S.A., Grov, C. and Parsons, J.T., 2010. Patterns of alcohol
consumption and sexual behavior among young adults in nightclubs. The American Journal of
Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(1), pp.39-45.
Wong, C.F., Kipke, M.D. and Weiss, G., 2008. Risk factors for alcohol use, frequent use, and
binge drinking among young men who have sex with men. Addictive Behaviors, 33(8), pp.1012-
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