Street-level alcohol policy: Assessing intoxication at drinking venues in Oslo

Abstract

Aims: This article examines liquor inspectors' assessments of intoxication at drinking establishments in Norway. It draws upon Lipsky's theory of street-level bureaucrats (1980) to study a situation where laws and informal norms seem to pull in opposite directions. Methods:We conducted 26 ethnographic observations of liquor inspectors' visits to drinking venues in Oslo, as well as qualitative interviews and field conversations with liquor inspectors. Findings:The study reveals that inspectors interpret the Norwegian Alcohol Act in four main ways that lead to lenient enforcement of the law. 1. Inspectors translate the wording of the Act into their everyday language. 2. They use significant discretion when assessing a patron's intoxication level. 3. The inspectors identify with patrons. 4. They find it hard to spot deviance when everyone is drunk. Conclusions:Research on alcohol policy usually focuses on the national level. Decisions made at the 'street level', however, might also lead to over-serving, alcohol-related harm and violence. The street-level alcohol policy allows a level of intoxication far above that allowed by the law. In this way, the inspectors support and maintain a liberal drinking culture.

Bartenders as street-level bureaucrats: theorizing server practices in the nighttime economy

“…To refuse service may puncture the mood and limit the drunken "fun", and it may also generate conflicts with patrons who expect to be served, whether or not it is against the law (Beale, Cox, Clarke, Lawrence, & Leather, 1998;Keeffe, Russell-Bennett, & Tombs, 2008;Ng, Russell-Bennett, & Dagger, 2007). Similar mechanisms have been found in a study of civilian liquor inspectors in Norway (Buvik & Baklien, 2014). When a guest is visibly intoxicated, the liquor inspector is supposed to report it.…”

“…Lipsky's concept of street-level bureaucrats, also referred to as street-level workers or practitioners (Brodkin, 2011), has been applied, for example, in studies of the police (Buvik, 2016;Holmberg, 2000;Maynard-Moody & Musheno, 2003), social work (Evans & Harris, 2004), politicians (May & Winter, 2009), the public sector (Piore, 2011), parking guards (Marusek, 2012), labour inspectors (Nielsen, 2015), civilian inspectors (Wilkinson & MacLean, 2013), local council officers (Pennay, 2012), liquor inspectors (Buvik & Baklien, 2014), drug treatment (Frank & Bjerge, 2011), and veterinary inspectors (Thomann, 2015). These studies illustrate how service workers negotiate situations of having to operate quickly and efficiently while being pushed and pulled in from many directions.…”

“…Later, this report may be the basis for sanctions against the venue, such as revocation of the liquor license. However, the Norwegian law does not include a clear definition of intoxication, and violations of the law can be hard to spot in places that are crowded and where most people have consumed alcohol (Buvik & Baklien, 2014). Liquor inspectors do not want to spoil the mood in drinking establishments and this makes them hesitant of reporting bartenders who serve alcohol to intoxicated patrons (Buvik & Baklien, 2014).…”

“…However, the Norwegian law does not include a clear definition of intoxication, and violations of the law can be hard to spot in places that are crowded and where most people have consumed alcohol (Buvik & Baklien, 2014). Liquor inspectors do not want to spoil the mood in drinking establishments and this makes them hesitant of reporting bartenders who serve alcohol to intoxicated patrons (Buvik & Baklien, 2014). According to the Norwegian legislation, every venue with a license to serve alcohol must be inspected at least once a year, and there has to be at least three times as many inspections as there are venues with licenses.…”

The hole in the doughnut: a study of police discretion in a nightlife setting

“…This study is part of a larger project on the night-time drinking culture in Oslo (Buvik and Baklien 2012a, Buvik and Baklien 2012b, Buvik 2013, Buvik and Baklien 2014. The data for this particular article were collected during fieldwork with patrolling police officers on weekend nights in Oslo and from qualitative interviews and field conversations with police officers.…”