​For the record: Impact of the lockouts on the CBD

Release date: Thursday 20 June 2019

A study by researchers at the University of Sydney reported in the Sydney Morning Herald today claims that the Sydney lock-out laws made no impact on non-domestic assaults in the Sydney CBD. 

This claim conflicts with research findings published by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) which have found a significant reduction in non-domestic assaults in the Sydney CBD attributable to the lockouts (the most recent finding showing a 13% decline*). 

There are various differences between these studies that may account for these results.  The Sydney University researchers have used a different statistical method, different geographical regions and a different time period than the BOCSAR studies. 

We have asked the researchers at Sydney University to re-analyse their data using the time periods and areas included in the study by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

Jackie Fitzgerald
Acting Executive Director
NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research

 

* In July 2019 BOCSAR re-ran our 2017 analysis, addressing concerns raised by the University of Sydney.  In the alternative analysis we still found a reduction in non-domestic assault in the Sydney CBD but the estimated size of the reduction was 8.1% (compared with 12.6% in the original paper.