Preventing violence and making our communities safer

Professor Simon Moore and colleagues in the Violence Research Group are building the evidence base that helps cities, police, the NHS and licensed premises make communities safer for everyone.

Working directly with pubs, bars and clubs across Wales and the UK, the team conducted a nationwide randomised controlled trial considering violence prevention.

Researchers identified the environmental and organisational factors that increase the risk of intoxication and disorder.

The resulting interventions, co-produced with venue managers, police and security teams, led to practical training materials and guidance now used throughout the sector, from de-escalation techniques to managing queues, crowds and movement inside venues.

Complementing this, our researchers analysed patterns of footfall, crowding and assault-related hospital attendances to uncover how pedestrian bottlenecks, waiting times and service capacity heighten the likelihood of aggression.

The widely cited study demonstrated how small operational changes, from adding bar staff to improving late-night transport, can significantly reduce tension and prevent violence before it occurs.

Beyond nightlife, we led the UK’s first robust evaluation of hospital-based violence intervention programmes.

These teams identify victims in Emergency Departments, assess their needs and connect them to appropriate support.

By linking large datasets – emergency department records, GP data, census information, and routine health data – researchers are generating the strongest evidence to date that such programmes improve health outcomes, reduce repeat harm, and reach people who might not otherwise seek help.

This approach also reveals important inequalities: minority ethnic groups and men in deprived areas are less likely to access support, even when harmed.

We’re improving how bruising is identified across diverse skin tones – closing gaps that affect clinical care, forensic evidence. and access to justice.