Nightlife venues serve as important spaces where young people socialize and enjoy themselves. Responsibility for safety in nightlife environments often falls on security guards, such as bouncers. Yet, despite their frequent interactions, the question of how young people perceive the roles, authority, and interventions of these security guards remains largely unanswered.
Derived from the procedural justice framework, this qualitative study examines the interactions between young people and bouncers in nightlife settings in Flanders. In total, 50 young people between the ages of 14 and 23 participated in focus groups. The findings indicate that young people perceive individual differences in the behaviour and conduct of these security guards. Firstly, no clear-cut positive or negative image of security personnel exists. Secondly, security guards are not consistently perceived as highly professional. Furthermore, young people report more negative than positive experiences, with significant variation in the nature of these encounters. Finally, the results suggest that young people’s compliance is often conditional, temporary, and context-dependent. In conclusion, through a deeper understanding of nightlife security interactions, this study makes a contribution to the implications of security interventions, informing security companies and policy makers in designing a safer nightlife.