According to the Crime Reduction Toolkit platform, four systematic reviews were conducted on these types of programs. Overall, there is no evidence of statistically significant effects in terms of reducing crime and violence, but there are other benefits, such as significant decreases in risk factors and harms related to alcohol consumption.
In the first review, based on four studies in the United Kingdom, it was reported that, when on-premise alcohol sales hours were extended, there was an increase in interpersonal violence. In 11 other studies reviewed, it was verified that, in a context of longer alcohol sales hours, there was a significant increase in harm and hazardous alcohol consumption rates, versus a significant decrease in harm when hourly limitation measures were implemented. Three other studies showed no effect or decrease in crime with longer hours of sale [1].
The second review verified that the addition of two hours to alcohol sales hours in stores increased consumption-related harm: driving under the influence of alcohol, accidents, and violent crimes. It was also found that an extension of less than two hours does not produce a significant effect [2].
In the third review, conducted in Australia, it was reported that the permission to sell alcohol on Sundays has significantly increased accidents, vehicle losses, and arrests for drunk driving. In the same review, studies conducted in the United States and Sweden reported that, with the permission to sell on weekends, there was an increase in alcohol-related crashes, while a decrease in aggression against women was reported, but without a more detailed explanation for the latter case [3].
The fourth review identified 44 studies on the density of alcohol POSs and 15 studies on sales hours and days. The review concluded that restricting alcohol availability is an effective measure to prevent alcohol-attributable harm, as most of the studies reviewed found that such strategies had a positive impact on one or more of the three main outcome variables analyzed (overall alcohol consumption, drinking patterns, and alcohol-related harm) [4].
However, the Crime Reduction Toolkit platform pointed out that there is a high possibility of statistical bias in all four systematic reviews. Thus, the platform points out that further studies with better control techniques are still needed to draw more reliable conclusions regarding the effectiveness of such programs.