Closing Bars Early Reduced Murders by 40% in One U.S. Neighborhood

Reducing the hours bars and taverns could sell alcohol in a Baltimore neighborhood reduced all violent crime in the area annually by 23 percent, a study has found.

Research by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and the Alcohol Research Group of Emeryville, California, found that the number of murders dropped by 51 percent within the first month of the trial.

The homicide rate fell by 40 percent annually, compared to similar low-income neighborhoods which had no change in hours of alcohol sales.

The findings suggest that reducing late-night hours of sale may be an effective way for cities to curb excessive drinking, as well as homicides, assaults, and other crimes.