The stairway of doom : respect, crime, and justice in the night-time economy

Abstract

Bouncers are private security personnel enlisted by nightclub owners who are tasked with the protection of physical property, maintaining order, and ensuring that provincial alcohol regulations are met. Often regarded as over-aggressive bullies, bouncers work in an occupation where drunken violence and criminality are unavoidable. Using the concept of the night-time economy to describe the after-dark downtown leisure industry, this paper qualitatively explores the stories of bouncers in this alcohol-fueled environment. Based on in-depth interviews and a focus group with 10 current or former bouncers, this paper presents the thoughts, feelings and experiences of those tasked with maintaining order in the night-time economy. The interviews and follow up focus group revealed interesting realties of bouncer culture: the important network of respect, a prevalence of crime and extreme violence, and the night-time economy’s own vigilante justice system.