Evaluating the effects of the introduction of off-sale alcohol outlets on violent crime.

Aims: To examine the effects on violence of a policy change that ended prohibition of off-sale alcohol outlets in Lubbock, Texas.
Methods: Time-series analysis of violent crime data from police records comparing the periods before and after the policy change.
Results: The effect of the policy change on both total violent crime and aggregated assault was small and did not approach statistical significance.
Conclusions: Increased availability of alcohol through off-sale premises may not influence the type of violence reported to the police in Lubbock, Texas.