Crimes Against 

Tourists 

Kenneth J. Peak 

Problem-Oriented Guides for Poli

Problem-Specific Guides Seri

No. 

www.cops.usdo

by Ronald W. Glensor 
at www.popcenter.org 

Got a Problem? We’ve got answers! 

Log onto the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing websit

for a wealth of information to help 

you deal more effectively with crime and disorder in your 

community, including: 

Center for Problem-Oriented Policin

www.PopCenter.org

• Web-enhanced versions of all currently available Guides 

• Interactive training exercises 

• On-line access to research and police practices 

Designed for police and those who work with them to 

address community problems, www.popcenter.org is a great 

resource in problem-oriented policing. 

Supported by the Office of Community Oriented Policing 

Services, U.S. Department of Justice. 
Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series 

Guide No. 26 

Crimes Against Tourists


Ronald W. Glensor 

Kenneth J. Peak 

This project was supported by cooperative agreement 

#2002CKWX0003 by the Office of Community Oriented Policing 

Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein 

are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the 

official position of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

www.cops.usdoj.gov 

ISBN: 1-932582-36-3 

August 2004 

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series 

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series 

The Problem-Specific Guides summarize knowledge about 

how police can reduce the harm caused by specific crime 

and disorder problems. They are guides to prevention and 

to improving the overall response to incidents, not to 

investigating offenses or handling specific incidents. The 

guides are written for police–of whatever rank or 

assignment–who must address the specific problem the 

guides cover. The guides will be most useful to officers 

who 

• Understand basic problem-oriented policing 

principles and methods. The guides are not primers in 

problem-oriented policing. They deal only briefly with 

the initial decision to focus on a particular problem, 

methods to analyze the problem, and means to assess 

the results of a problem-oriented policing project. They 

are designed to help police decide how best to analyze 

and address a problem they have already identified. (An 

assessment guide has been produced as a companion to 

this series and the COPS Office has also published an 

introductory guide to problem analysis. For those who 

want to learn more about the principles and methods of 

problem-oriented policing, the assessment and analysis 

guides, along with other recommended readings, are 

listed at the back of this guide.) 

• Can look at a problem in depth. Depending on the 

complexity of the problem, you should be prepared to 

spend perhaps weeks, or even months, analyzing and 

responding to it. Carefully studying a problem before 

responding helps you design the right strategy, one that 

is most likely to work in your community. You should 

not blindly adopt the responses others have used; you 

must decide whether they are appropriate to your local 

situation. What is true in one place may not be true 
ii Crimes Against Tourists 

elsewhere; what works in one place may not work 

everywhere. 

• Are willing to consider new ways of doing police 

business. The guides describe responses that other 

police departments have used or that researchers have 

tested. While not all of these responses will be 

appropriate to your particular problem, they should help 

give a broader view of the kinds of things you could do. 

You may think you cannot implement some of these 

responses in your jurisdiction, but perhaps you can. In 

many places, when police have discovered a more 

effective response, they have succeeded in having laws 

and policies changed, improving the response to the 

problem. 

• Understand the value and the limits of research 

knowledge. For some types of problems, a lot of useful 

research is available to the police; for other problems, little 

is available. Accordingly, some guides in this series 

summarize existing research whereas other guides illustrate 

the need for more research on that particular problem. 

Regardless, research has not provided definitive answers to 

all the questions you might have about the problem. The 

research may help get you started in designing your own 

responses, but it cannot tell you exactly what to do. This 

will depend greatly on the particular nature of your local 

problem. In the interest of keeping the guides readable, not 

every piece of relevant research has been cited, nor has 

every point been attributed to its sources. To have done so 

would have overwhelmed and distracted the reader. The 

references listed at the end of each guide are those drawn 

on most heavily; they are not a complete bibliography of 

research on the subject. 
About the Problem-Specific Guides Series i

• Are willing to work with other community agencies 

to find effective solutions to the problem. The police 

alone cannot implement many of the responses 

discussed in the guides. They must frequently implement 

them in partnership with other responsible private and 

public entities. An effective problem-solver must know 

how to forge genuine partnerships with others and be 

prepared to invest considerable effort in making these 

partnerships work. 

These guides have drawn on research findings and police 

practices in the United States, the United Kingdom, 

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and 

Scandinavia. Even though laws, customs and police 

practices vary from country to country, it is apparent that 

the police everywhere experience common problems. In a 

world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is 

important that police be aware of research and successful 

practices beyond the borders of their own countries. 

The COPS Office and the authors encourage you to 

provide feedback on this guide and to report on your own 

agency's experiences dealing with a similar problem. Your 

agency may have effectively addressed a problem using 

responses not considered in these guides and your 

experiences and knowledge could benefit others. This 

information will be used to update the guides. If you wish 

to provide feedback and share your experiences it should 

be sent via e-mail to cops_pubs@usdoj.gov. 
iv Crimes Against Tourists 

For more information about problem-oriented policing, 

visit the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing online at 

www.popcenter.org or via the COPS website at 

www.cops.usdoj.gov. This website offers free online access to: 

• the Problem-Specific Guides series, 

• the companion Response Guides and Problem-Solving Tools 

series, 

• instructional information about problem-oriented policing 

and related topics, 

• an interactive training exercise, and 

• online access to important police research and practices. 
Acknowledgments 

Acknowledgments 

The Problem-Oriented Guides for Police are very much a 

collaborative effort. While each guide has a primary 

author, other project team members, COPS Office staff 

and anonymous peer reviewers contributed to each guide 

by proposing text, recommending research and offering 

suggestions on matters of format and style. 

The principal project team developing the guide series 

comprised Herman Goldstein, professor emeritus, 

University of Wisconsin Law School; Ronald V. Clarke, 

professor of criminal justice, Rutgers University; John E. 

Eck, associate professor of criminal justice, University of 

Cincinnati; Michael S. Scott, clinical assistant professor, 

University of Wisconsin Law School; Rana Sampson, 

police consultant, San Diego; and Deborah Lamm Weisel, 

director of police research, North Carolina State 

University. 

Karin Schmerler, Rita Varano and Nancy Leach oversaw 

the project for the COPS Office. Suzanne Fregly edited 

the guides. Research for the guides was conducted at the 

Criminal Justice Library at Rutgers University under the 

direction of Phyllis Schultze. 

The project team also wishes to acknowledge the members 

of the San Diego, National City and Savannah police 

departments who provided feedback on the guides' format 

and style in the early stages of the project, as well as the 

line police officers, police executives and researchers who 

peer reviewed each guide. 

Contents v

Contents 

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

The Problem of Crimes Against Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Related Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Factors Contributing to Crimes Against Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Tourists as Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Understanding Your Local Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Asking the Right Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Locations/Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Current Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Responses to the Problem of Crimes Against Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

General Considerations for an Effective Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Specific Responses to Reduce Crimes Against Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Crimes Against Tourists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

The Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 1 

The Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 

This guide addresses tourist crime, beginning by describing 

the problem and reviewing the factors that contribute to † See the POP Guide on Street 

Prostitution. it. It then identifies a series of questions to help you 

analyze your local problem. Finally, it provides a number †† See the POP Guide on Financ

of measures your agency can take to address the problem Crimes Against the Elderly. 

and to evaluate responses. The guide addresses tourist ††† See the POP Guide on Burgl

crimes committed in the United States, although the of Single-Family Houses. 

information provided here will no doubt benefit those 

readers dealing with the problem abroad. †††† See the POP Guide on Rob

at Automated Teller Machines. 

Related Problems 

There are several problems related to crimes against 

tourists that may call for separate analyses and responses. 

These problems, which are beyond the scope of this 

guide, include: 

• prostitution† ; 

• pickpocketing; 

• confidence schemes (fraud); 

• fencing of stolen property; 

• organized crime and gang activities; 

• offenses relating to casino gambling; 

• crimes involving the elderly††; 

• burglary of holiday homes†††; 

• robberies at bars and other businesses††††; 

• terrorism against tourists; and 

• mass-transit crimes (e.g., at bus or airport terminals; on 

subways or trains). 
2 Crimes Against Tourists 

Factors Contributing to Crimes Against Tourists 

Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem 

will help you frame your own local analysis questions, 

determine good effectiveness measures, recognize key 

intervention points, and select appropriate responses. 

Tourism is an interactive relationship among tourists, local 

businesses, and host governments and communities.1 It is 

the United States' second largest service industry (after 

health care), and directly or indirectly supporting 204 

million jobs,2 producing more than $100 billion in 

revenues,3 and drawing 57.2 million visitors to the nation 

each year.4 Growth in tourism, however, has also led to 

increased opportunities for, and incidences of, crime. 

Indeed, a long-established relationship exists between 

increases in crime and tourism; major economic crimes 

(e.g., robbery, burglary) in some highly popular tourism 

venues have a "similar season to tourism,"5 for several 

reasons. First, tourists are lucrative targets, since they 

typically carry large sums of money and other valuables. 

Second, tourists are vulnerable because they are more 

likely to be relaxed and off guard–and sometimes careless– 

while on vacation. Finally, tourists are often less likely to 

report crimes or to testify against suspects, wishing to 

avoid problems or a return trip.6 Tourist crimes generally 

involve one of several scenarios: 

• The tourist is an accidental victim, in the wrong place 

at the wrong time, targeted as an easy mark. 

• The location is conducive to crime, due to its nightlife, 

hedonistic culture, and myriad potential victims. 
The Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 3 

• The industry itself provides victims, as tourists are 

more prone to taking risks while on vacation, and less 

likely to observe safety precautions. Furthermore, as 

tourists' numbers grow, so too can local hostility toward 

tourists, thereby increasing the chances that they will be 

cheated, robbed, or assaulted. 

• Terrorist or other groups may specifically target 

tourists, singling them out for hostage-taking or even 

murder.7 

Crimes against tourists can impede tourism by significantly 

damaging a location's image. Therefore, the most 

important prerequisite for a successful tourist industry is a 

reputation for having crime under control and 

guaranteeing tourists' safety.8 Furthermore, media coverage 

of crimes against tourists often tends to be out of 

proportion to the actual risk, having a profound effect on 

public perception of safety at particular locations. 

Although theft is the most common crime against 

tourists,9 they are vulnerable to other crimes as well, 

including physical and sexual assault, credit card fraud, and 

scams (e.g., being sold "bargain basement" antiques or 

imitations of expensive watches). In areas with many adult 

entertainment venues, tourists tend to congregate and be 

disproportionately targeted by offenders.10 Furthermore, 

crimes against tourists tend to occur in areas with higher 

overall crime rates.11 
4 Crimes Against Tourists 

† See Assaults in and Around Bars, 

Guide No. 1 in this series. 

Tourists may unwittingly contribute to the problem 

through excesses and dangerous practices in sport and 

leisure activities, driving, gaming, and drinking–some of 

which is routine "vacation behavior." They may also 

contribute to their victimization by 

• carrying and flashing large sums of money; 

• visiting dangerous locations, or walking in isolated 

areas or dark alleys, especially at night; 

• leaving valuable items in public view; and 

• looking like a tourist (e.g., driving a rental car, carrying 

a backpack, carrying a camera, consulting a map, 

appearing lost).12 

As mentioned, tourists cluster in particular locations. 

Hotels, motels, downtown centers, shopping malls, bars, 

restaurants, tourist attractions, beaches, and airports are all 

potential points of encounter for victims and offenders. 

(Some communities have determined that the greatest 

number of tourist crimes occur when tourists leave 

airports and major highways, becoming lost in inner-city 

neighborhoods.13) Venues such as bars and nightclubs can 

encourage heavy drinking and a sense of freedom from 

normal constraints.† Because tourists often are obvious by 

their dress, carry items easily disposed of once stolen, and 

are temporary visitors (and thus unable to put much 

pressure on police to act against criminals, or unlikely to 

appear as a prosecution witness), tourist zones allow 

pickpockets, swindlers, thieves, gang members, and 

robbers to commit crimes they might not otherwise 

attempt or be able to accomplish. Tourist clustering also 

affords terrorists opportunities to commit acts against 

large numbers of people. Some tourist areas are also 

popular retirement areas, so the potential for crimes 

against the elderly increases significantly. 
The Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 5 

The physical characteristics of tourist locations may also 

contribute to crime. For example, a visitor staying in an 

older motel with a dimly lit parking lot, and no private 

security officers or video monitoring, might be at risk. 

Moreover, tourist areas are characterized by anonymity and 

a high turnover of population, allowing offenders to 

conceal themselves, particularly when the police have to 

deal with massive increases in traffic volume and other 

routine work unrelated to crime. In addition, many 

popular tourist locations are renowned for their scenic, 

isolated nature, inviting adventuresome tourists to explore 

remote surroundings.14 

Tourists as Offenders 

It is worth noting that tourists may be the perpetrators, as 

well as the victims, of crime. The "tourist culture" can 

lessen tourists' sense of responsibility. They may riot at 

sporting events, for example, or cause disturbances on 

aircraft. They may also solicit prostitutes, buy illegal drugs, 

or smuggle goods out of the country. Furthermore, 

terrorists may pretend to be tourists (to target legitimate 

ones).15 

Understanding Your Local Problem 

Understanding Your Local Problem 

The information provided above is only a generalized 

description of the problem of crimes against tourists. You † See Disorder at Budget Motels in t

series, for a discussion regarding must combine the basic facts with a more specific motel reporting practices. 

understanding of your local problem. Analyzing the local 

problem will help you design a more effective response 

strategy. 

Asking the Right Questions 

Your agency's capacity to identify tourist-related incidents 

in its records management system is a major factor in 

being able to ask the right questions and develop proper 

responses. It would be helpful if a standard, international 

definition specified who a tourist is, what constitutes a 

crime against a tourist, and how tourist crime records 

should be kept.16 Then police departments in tourist areas 

could record and analyze tourist crimes separately, and 

thus better understand victimization patterns.17 You should 

review your agency's records management system to 

ensure there are uniform methods for reporting and 

classifying tourist crimes.18 

Many tourist areas closely guard tourist crime data.19 To 

get an accurate picture of the problem, you may need to 

(1) thoroughly review offense reports to identity touristrelated crimes (computer-aided dispatching systems may be 

coded to tabulate such crimes); (2) conduct tourist surveys 

(e.g., through the local police, Chamber of Commerce, or 

hotels/motels) to determine the actual number of 

offenses; or (3) encourage businesses–including hotels and 

motels–to report crimes or other problems concerning 

tourists to the police.† 
8 Crimes Against T ourists 

The following are some critical questions you should ask 

in analyzing your particular tourist crime problem, even if 

the answers are not always readily available. Your answers 

to these and other questions will help you choose the most 

appropriate set of responses later on. 

Incidents 

• How many crimes (and what percentage of total 

crimes) in your jurisdiction involve tourists? 

(Remember that tourists can be victims of the entire 

gamut of offenses, both Part I and Part II, 

misdemeanor and felony; also, the more serious crimes 

may not significantly alter the statistical picture of the 

problem, but may well significantly affect the public's 

perception of your jurisdiction as a danger zone.) 

• What percentage of crimes are committed by tourists, 

as well as against them? 

• What are the general circumstances surrounding the 

crimes (e.g., was a rental car involved, were the tourists 

lost)? 

• What types and amounts of property are stolen, if any? 

• What percentage of tourist crimes do you estimate are 

reported to the police? 

• Do you suspect some false reporting of crime (e.g., to 

cover up the complainants' own wrongdoing or 

embarrassing acts)? If so, what percentage of reported 

offenses do you suspect are false? 

Locations/Times 

• Where do tourist crimes occur? Indoors or outdoors? 

In densely populated areas or remote areas? At repeat 

locations? In high-risk crime areas? Near major 

attractions? 
Understanding Your Local Problem 

• Where are tourists staying when the offenses occur 

(e.g., hotels, motels, private rental properties)? 

• When do the crimes occur (day or night, day of week, 

time of year)? 

Victims 

• Who are the victims (by gender, age, occupation)? Are 

there any noticeable demographic patterns among 

them? 

• Where are they from? Are they regional, national, or 

international tourists? 

• What percentage of victims are injured during the 

crimes? How serious are the injuries? 

• How do they typically react to their victimization? Are 

they cooperative with the police? Willing to stay or 

return to testify against the offender? 

• What victim activities or attributes may have 

contributed to the crimes (e.g., drinking, flashing large 

sums of money, frequenting dangerous areas or 

exploring remote locations, having an alternative 

lifestyle)? Have they been careless about their personal 

safety and property? 

• What percentage of attempted crimes have been 

thwarted by tourists or by other people? 

Offenders 

• What are the offenders' demographics (age, gender, 

race, place of residence, and so forth)? 

• Are they local, or from out of town? 

• Do they appear to specialize in victimizing tourists? 

Are they part of a loosely or formally organized group, 

or working alone? 
10 Crimes Against Tourists 

• What are their motives (economic, political, personal)? 

• What percentage of offenders commit crimes against 

tourists for money to buy drugs? What percentage 

either are or appear to be under the influence of drugs 

or alcohol during the offense? (Local data on arrestees' 

drug use may provide some answers to these questions.) 

• What percentage of offenders are repeat offenders? 

How prolific are the worst offenders? 

• Do they use different techniques against tourists from 

those used in other crimes? 

• What types of weapons do they use, or threaten to use? 

Current Responses 

• Do the police have a good working relationship with 

tourist-related businesses? 

• Are funds provided to cover victims' travel expenses if 

they have to testify against offenders? 

• Have police and private security employees been trained 

in crime prevention and reduction measures involving 

tourists? 

• Is there a special police unit trained specifically to 

protect tourists and to assist tourism businesses with 

crime prevention measures? 

• Are local citizens aware of the harm tourist crime can 

cause to the community, and of their role in preventing 

it? 

• Are tourists informed about crime prevention measures 

(e.g., through brochures)? 
Understanding Your Local Problem 1

Measuring Your Effectiveness 

Measurement allows you to determine to what degree your 

efforts have succeeded, and suggests how you might 

modify your responses if they are not producing the 

intended results. You should take measures of your 

problem before you implement responses, to determine how 

serious the problem is, and after you implement them, to 

determine whether they have been effective. Measurement 

will likely involve both quantitative (statistical) and 

qualitative (anecdotal) information. (For more detailed 

guidance on measuring effectiveness, see the companion 

guide to this series, Assessing Responses to Problems: An 

Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers.) 

The following are potentially useful measures of the 

effectiveness of responses to tourist crimes: 

• reduced numbers of offenses against tourists across the 

various offense types, 

• reduced calls for tourist-related police service, 

• reduced number and severity of injuries caused by 

crimes against tourists, 

• reduced total average loss (both of cash and property) 

incurred by victims, 

• increased tourist and local citizen perceptions of safety, 

and 

• increased tourist reporting of crimes (for crimes 

against the person, you might compare emergency 

room records with police reports). 

You should be alert to the possibility that your responses 

to tourist crime might displace it, either geographically, to 

other types of crime, or to non-tourist victims. You 

should also be aware that your responses to tourist crime 

might reduce non-tourist-related crime, as well. 

Responses to the Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 1

Responses to the Problem of Crimes 

Against Tourists 

Your analysis of your local problem should give you a 

better understanding of the factors contributing to it. 

Once you have analyzed your local problem and 

established a baseline for measuring effectiveness, you 

should consider possible responses to the problem. 

The following response strategies are drawn from a variety 

of research studies and police problem-solving efforts; 

several of them may apply to your community's problem. 

It is critical that you tailor responses to local 

circumstances, and that you can justify each response 

based on reliable analysis. In most cases, an effective 

strategy will involve implementing several different 

responses. Law enforcement responses alone are seldom 

effective in reducing or solving the problem. Do not limit 

yourself to considering what police can do; give careful 

consideration to who else in your community shares 

responsibility for the problem and can help police better 

respond to it. 

Unfortunately, there are few careful evaluations of tourist 

crime interventions. Much of what is recommended here 

is based on informed judgments about what is likely to be 

effective. More rigorous evaluations are needed. 

General Considerations for an Effective Strategy 

1. Working with the tourism industry to identify and 

address crime-related concerns. Police 

representatives should participate on tourism boards 

and work with hotel/motel, convention, and visitors' 

bureaus to understand tourism-related problems and 

concerns, and to develop joint crime prevention 
14 Crimes Against Tourists 

programs.20 Police should provide ongoing information 

about local crime to tourism officials. 

2. Training police and private security staff to 

recognize and address tourist-related safety 

concerns. Police and private security staff should 

know what particular crime risks tourists face, what 

resources are available, and how to access those 

resources (e.g., visitors' bureaus, emergency and social 

services, health departments).21 They should also be 

prepared to help tourists access emergency shelters, 

transportation systems, and foreign embassies, and 

help them navigate the various criminal justice 

processes. 

Fla., police departments have created special units with selected 

personnel specifically to protect tourists. Both agencies require 

that officers be highly trained in tourism issues, as well as visible 

to and gregarious with tourists; work closely with related local 

associations and bureaus; advise rental property employees 

regarding crime prevention techniques; and recommend that 

tourist-industry employees (especially those in the security field) 

undergo thorough background checks–and be heavily punished if 

found guilty of committing tourist crimes.22 

To deal with crimes against tourists, the New Orleans and Orlando, 

Specific Responses to Reduce Crimes Against 

Tourists 

3. Facilitating tourist victims' testimony in criminal 

cases. Tourist victims usually will not return to their 

vacation spots to give testimony, as it is costly and 

time-consuming: Hawaii has enacted, and other states 

have considered, statutes allowing crime victims to 

testify from their home via teleconferencing.23 The 
Responses to the Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 1

Dade County (Fla.) State Attorney's Office also has a 

Victim Fly-Back Program to help victims return to 

testify.24 

The goal of the Newark (N.J.) Downtown District (NDD) is to create a 

live in. The NDD–a nonprofit, special-improvement business district 

composed of 425 commercial properties–contracts with a single 

company to operate and manage the Holiday Safety Ambassador 

already provided. The duties of the uniformed "safety ambassadors" 

include being the eyes and ears of the police, including serving as a 

police witness and filling out police reports when necessary; offering 

information and directions to pedestrians; reporting misconduct or 

suspicious incidents to the police; responding appropriately to crises; 

being familiar with all events and tourist attractions; and periodically 25 

safer, cleaner, well-managed area for people to conduct business and 

Program for three months per year, to supplement basic services 

checking new, closed, or relocated businesses.

4. Imposing additional taxes in tourist areas to 

support special security measures. In some tourist 

areas, property owners pay a special fee to support 

security and other services that increase the area's 

appeal and reduce safety risks to tourists. 

5. Encouraging hotels and motels to adopt practices 

that will reduce guest victimization. Among the 

practices you should encourage are 

• requiring that guests show identification before 

reentering the building, 

• installing electronic room locks that are changed 

after each guest checks out, 

• providing safety deposit boxes, 

• installing surveillance cameras, and 

• employing full-time security officers.26,†

† See Disorder at Budget Motels in t

series, for further information ab

preventing crime and disorder in 

motels. 
16 Crimes Against Tourists 

You might also encourage hotels and motels to 

provide safety tips on their website or in-house cable 

TV channel. 

† The police department is now 

called the Miami-Dade Police 

Department. 6. Offering rewards for information leading to the 

arrest and conviction of those who commit 

serious crimes against tourists. The tourism 

industry may be willing to help finance reward 

programs. In Miami, the local government developed 

such a program, in conjunction with Crime Stoppers 

and the tourist industry.27 

Several murders of foreign tourists brought worldwide media attention, and both the 

county and the greater Miami area were portrayed as dangerous places to visit. 

Miami International Airport was the focal point of such crimes, including "smash and 

leaving the airport in easily identifiable rental cars. Other rental-car drivers became 

Metro-Dade Police Department† (1) increased visible uniform patrols, (2) adopted a 

problem-oriented approach to improve the area and generate support from local 

businesses and other government agencies, and (3) implemented a tourist safety 

program, to provide safety information. In addition, the Florida legislature passed a 

law requiring that regular license plates be issued to replace the easily identifiable 

ones on rental vehicles, the county required that maps and directions be provided 

with every rented vehicle, and identifying stickers were removed from rental 

vehicles. Over 500 directional signs were installed, many in the airport area, and a 

tourism safety video was shown on many inbound international flights. Officers were 

They were also equipped with cell phones, maps, brochures, and other information 

times the normal level of resources to the airport area, using several special 

responses (for example, using decoy parked police cars, conducting undercover 

operations targeting "hot spots," and deploying motorcycle patrols during peak 

hour information counter in the airport. In the two years following the initiative, 

crimes against visitors dropped in the area: robberies decreased by 50 percent, and 

auto thefts by 79 percent.30 

The early 1990s saw a plague of violent crimes against tourists in Dade County, Fla. 

grab," "driveway," and "highway" robberies, in which criminals preyed on people 

victims after getting lost once they left the airport. To address the problem, the 

trained to contact lost or confused motorists, and give them an escort if necessary. 

in a variety of languages, to distribute as necessary. The police devoted four to five 

times). They also established a tourist hotline, started a newsletter, and set up a 24-
Responses to the Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 1

7. Educating tourists to reduce their risk of 

victimization. Police in tourist areas should develop 

an array of methods for educating tourists about crime † See Robbery at Automated Teller 

prevention.28 Among those you might consider are the Machines, Guide No. 8 in this seri

for information about crime 

following: prevention at ATMs. 

• creating a website with a dedicated tourist menu †† See the Las Vegas Metropolita

Police Department's website, at that (1) provides safety tips on such topics as www.lvmpd.com, for an example 

rental and use of cars, and use of automated tourist safety information. 

teller machines (ATMs),† credit cards, and other 

financial instruments; (2) lists emergency 

telephone numbers; (3) has regularly updated 

tourist crime bulletins; and (4) provides 

information about any specialized tourist police 

or auxiliary patrols;†† 

• equipping tourism officers with a cellular phone

so they can quickly access information,

translation services, or other assistance for

tourists;

• establishing a 24-hour police information counter,

installing "tourist telephones" (those specifically

designated for tourists needing information and

providing safety tips) and broadcasting

precautionary messages at airports;

• establishing a tourist hotline for reporting crimes

and related problems;

• encouraging positive media contacts regarding the

tourist police program and tourist safety,

including having tourist officers take journalists

on "ride-alongs";

• producing a video that provides information

about the tourist area, the tourist police program,

travel safety tips, and how to get around the area,

for showing on inbound aircraft and in airports;
18 Crimes Against Tourists 

• providing information to foreign consulates and 

embassies, so they can educate their citizens 

about travel to your area; and 

• developing a means to inform travelers of the 

safest places to stay (for example, some cities 

have a crime-free hotel/motel certification 

program that allows hotels/motels to qualify for 

special advertising based on their safety record). 

The following are some common safety tips that 

particularly pertain to tourists: 

• Use maps to plan routes before venturing out in a 

rental car. 

• Avoid traveling in vehicles that are obviously 

rented. 

• Avoid appearing to be a tourist. 

• Be aware of surroundings and avoid suspicious 

characters. 

• Travel with companions. 

• Remove valuables from cars. 

• Lock windows and doors in rooms when leaving.29 

All tourist information should be available in the 

languages most commonly spoken by visitors to the 

area. 

8. Increasing uniform patrols in tourist areas. Highly 

visible police patrols can discourage offenders who 

target tourists and increase tourists' sense of safety, 

but obviously, they are labor-intensive and therefore 

costly. 
Responses to the Problem of Crimes Against Tourists 1

Problems arose with rental car burglaries in parking lots near the 

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Honolulu (for example, thieves used 

binoculars to spot tourists putting valuables in their car trunks). In 

response, surveillance cameras were added to complement foot 

patrols, a rental storage unit was installed for tourists' belongings, 31 

thefts from tourists' vehicles at Honolulu recreation areas posed a 

serious problem in the mid-1990s. The offenders knew the best 

approach and escape routes, quickly and efficiently broke into locked 

cars, and typically were drug abusers with prior records for related 

types of crimes. The police addressed the problem by using highvisibility patrols (including bicycle and all-terrain vehicle units) in 

high-crime areas, providing information to tourists, gathering 

intelligence and investigating known suspects, and using bait cars. 

Thefts from vehicles declined from a high of 188 reported cases in 

January 1997, to a low of four cases in December 1997.32 

and car-rental-company bumper stickers were removed. Similarly, 

9. Deploying citizen patrols to supplement police 

patrols. Unpaid or paid citizen patrols during peak 

tourist seasons can supplement police presence. They 

can help inform tourists and discourage offenders. 

They should be conspicuously dressed, well informed 

about matters of concern to tourists, and have ready 

communication with police.† 

10. Conducting surveillance at high-risk locations. 

Surveillance should be based on local intelligence 

about problem areas and times. In general, surveillance 

is time-consuming and costly, and is effective at 

reducing crime only if it results in the apprehension of 

especially prolific offenders. 

† The city of Wellington, New 

Zealand, runs a program called 

Walkwise that deploys trained 

civilian safety officers at all times 

the city's central business district

The officers act as ambassadors a

work closely with police, interven

in low-level disorder problems an

reporting more-serious offending
20 Crimes Against Tourists 

The cities of Orlando and Miami have erected special highway 

signs that provide directions for visitors. The signs are placed 

along airport expressways near car rental companies. The "Follow 

the Sun" project has involved the strategic placement of 400 new 

road signs bearing a tourist-friendly sunburst logo to help nonEnglish-speaking visitors find their way. 

† For an excellent discussion of 

various ways to safely move and 

handle large crowds of visitors 

through environmental design, see 

Shearing and Stenning (1997). 

11. Changing the physical environment to reduce 

opportunities for tourist crimes. Such measures 

might include putting up appropriate signs for tourists 

at key locations (e.g., near airports) to prevent their 

becoming lost or a traffic hazard, or inadvertently 

going into high-risk areas.† 

a series of smiling young people who, with the aid of clearly 

visible road markings, direct them to the parking lot, remind them 

to lock their car and to remember its location, and direct them to 

wait for the train that will take them to the amusements area. At 

the boarding location, they are directed to stand safely behind 

guardrails and to board in an orderly fashion, and once on the 

train, they receive additional safety instructions and are informed 

visual attraction and a means to direct visitors away from, or 

toward, particular locations. Such order is presented as being in 

the visitors' best interests; thus it is consensual–with the visitors' 

willing cooperation.33 

When visitors enter Disney World in Orlando, they are greeted by 

of how they will be transported around the park during the day. 

Virtually every pool, fountain, and flower garden serves both as a 
Appendix 2

Appendix: Summary of Responses to 

Crimes Against Tourists 

The table below summarizes the responses to crimes 

against tourists, the mechanism by which they are intended 

to work, the conditions under which they ought to work 

best, and some factors you should consider before 

implementing a particular response. It is critical that you 

tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can 

justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most 

cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing 

several different responses. Law enforcement responses 

alone are seldom effective in reducing or solving the 

problem. 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations 

General Considerations for an Effective Strategy 

1. 13 Working with

the tourism 

industry to

identify and

address crimerelated concerns 

Increases the 

likelihood of 

tourist crime 

prevention by

combining police

and industry 

efforts 

...the police

know and can 

inform others 

about good safety

practices used

locally and

elsewhere 

Should promote

good practice by 

police, tourism 

officials, and 

private business 

owners who cater 

to tourists; 

should not be 

limited to 

directing extra

police patrols 

2. 14 Training police

and private 

security staff to 

recognize and

address touristEnhances the 

ability of, and 

the confidence 

in, personnel to

address the 

...high-quality

training programs 

are used, based 

on established, 

successful 

Costs to police

agencies or local 

governments to 

develop/

administer 

related safety problem curricula training 

concerns 
22 Crimes Against Tourists 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations 

Specific Responses to Reduce Crimes Against Tourists

3. 14 Facilitating

tourist victims' 

testimony in

criminal cases 

Increases the 

likelihood of 

convicting

offenders, and 

thus may deter

potential

offenders 

...legislation

provides funding

for victims' 

travel expenses, 

or for equipment

for them to 

testify via

teleconferencing 

Increases costs to 

the local 

jurisdiction; may 

or may not result

in conviction 

4. 15 

Imposing

additional taxes 

in tourist areas 

to support 

special security 

measures 

Provides funding

for enhanced 

security

measures in 

tourist areas 

...local 

government 

leaders and 

business owners 

are willing to pay 

the cost to 

improve the area 

and reduce 

tourist risks 

Taxpayers may be

reluctant to pay 

extra taxes if they 

believe police

should assume the 

sole responsibility

for safeguarding

tourists 

5. 15 Encouraging

hotels and 

motels to adopt

practices that

will reduce guest

victimization 

Reduces 

opportunities for 

tourists to be 

victimized in the 

first instance 

...hotels/motels

have a strong 

motivation to 

prevent crimes, 

and use 

knowledgeable 

personnel to

determine needs 

and to install 

Implementation

costs can be high;

hotel/motel

managers may be

reluctant to raise 

concerns among

guests about the

potential for crime

victimization 

equipment 

6. 16 Offering rewards 

for information 

leading to the

arrest and 

conviction of 

those who 

commit serious 

crimes against 

tourists 

Increases the 

likelihood of 

convicting

offenders, and 

thus may deter

potential

offenders 

...offers of 

reward money 

are well 

publicized and

sufficiently high 

to encourage 

those with 

information to 

come forward 

Costs to fund the 

program (reward 

money, 

administrative 

costs, etc.) 

7. 17 Educating

tourists to 

reduce their risk 

of victimization 

Promotes safe 

practices among

tourists 

...tourist 

information is 

available in 

different 

Costs of 

producing and

disseminating the

information 

languages 
Appendix 2

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations 

8. 18 Increasing

uniform patrols

in tourist areas 

Potentially deters

offenders, and 

increases the 

likelihood that 

tourist crimes 

will be 

interrupted 

...officers patrol

high-risk

locations 

Requires a

substantial 

commitment of 

personnel and

other justice 

system resources 

9. 19 Deploying

citizen patrols

to supplement

police patrols 

Potentially deters

offenders, and 

increases the 

likelihood that 

tourist crimes 

will be 

...volunteers are 

properly trained,

have instant 

communication 

access to police, 

and are 

Costs of 

employing,

training, and 

equipping citizen

patrols 

interrupted conspicuously

dressed 

10. 19 Conducting

surveillance at 

high-risk

locations 

Enhances the 

ability of police

to identify

offenders, and 

...cameras 

and/or officers

surveil high-risk 

areas 

Labor-intensive 

and costly to

conduct; electronic 

surveillance 

potentially deters

offenders 

equipment must be 

vigilantly

monitored 

11. 20 Changing the

physical 

environment to 

reduce 

opportunities 

for tourist 

crimes 

Increases the 

difficulty of

committing

offenses 

...the changes 

are tailored to 

the immediate 

environment's 

particular risks 

Requires a

sophisticated

understanding of

the principles and

methods of crime 

prevention through 

environmental 

design 

Endnotes 2

Endnotes 

1 McIntosh and Goeldner (1986).

2 Brunt and Hambly (1999).

3 Pelfrey (1998).

4 Smith (1999).

5 See, for example, Harper (2001); Chesney-Lind and Lind (1986); McPheters

and Stronge (1974). 

6 Fujii and Mak (1979). 

7 DeAlbuquerque and McElroy (1999). 

8 Ferreira and Harmse (2000). 

9 Harper (2001). 

10 Ferreira and Harmse (2000). 11 Pizam and Mansfeld (1996). 12 World Tourism Organization (1996). 13 Flynn (1998). 14 Schiebler, Crotts, and Hollinger, in Pizam and Mansfeld (1996), pp. 37-50. 15 Brunt and Hambly (1999). 16 Pizam, Tarlow, and Bloom (1997). 17 DeAlbuquerque and McElroy (1999). 18 Pizam and Mansfeld (1996). 19 Pizam and Mansfeld (1996). 20 Pizam, Tarlow, and Bloom (1997). 21 Pizam, Tarlow, and Bloom (1997). 22 Pizam, Tarlow, and Bloom (1997). 23 Ruppel (n.d.). 24 Florida Department of Law Enforcement (1996). 25 http://www.downtownnewark.com 26 DeAlbuquerque and McElroy (1999). 27 Florida Department of Law Enforcement (1996). 28 Crotts (1996). 29 Crotts (1996). 30 Metro-Dade Police Department (1996). 31 Ishikawa (2002). 32 Honolulu Police Department (1998). 33 Shearing and Stenning (1997). 

References 2

References 

Barker, M., S. Page, and D. Meyer (2002). "Modeling 

Tourism Crime: The 2000 America's Cup." Annals of 

Tourism Research 29(3):762–782. 

Brunt, P., and Z. Hambly (1999). "Tourism and Crime: A 

Research Agenda." Crime Prevention and Community 

Safety: An International Journal 1(2):25–36. 

Chesney-Lind, M., and I. Lind (1986). "Visitors as Victims: 

Crimes Against Tourists in Hawaii." Annals of Tourism 

Research 13:167–191. 

Crotts, J. (1996). "Theoretical Perspectives on Tourist 

Criminal Victimization." Journal of Tourism Studies 

7(1):2–9. 

DeAlbuquerque, K., and J. McElroy (1999). "Tourism and 

Crime in the Caribbean." Annals of Tourism Research 

26(1):968–984. 

Ferreira, S., and A. Harmse (2000). "Crime and Tourism in 

South Africa: International Tourists' Perception and 

Risk." South African Geographical Journal 82(2):80–85. 

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (1996). Visitor 

Crime in Florida: The Perception vs. the Reality. Tallahassee: 

Florida Department of Law Enforcement. 

Flynn, D. (1998). Defining the "Community" in Community 

Policing. Washington, D.C.: Police Executive Research 

Forum. 
28 Crimes Against Tourists 

Fujii, E., and J. Mak (1980). "Tourism and Crime: 

Implications for Regional Development Policy." 

Regional Studies 14:27–36. 

Harper, D. (2001). "Comparing Tourists Crime 

Victimization." Annals of Tourism Research 

28(4):1053–1056. 

Honolulu Police Department (1998). "Herman Goldstein 

Award Nomination: District 4." Submission to the 

Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing. 

Ishikawa, S. (2002). "Theft Poses Challenge for Hawaii's 

Tourism." Honolulu Advertiser, November 18. 

McIntosh, R., and C. Goeldner (1986). Tourism Principles, 

Practices, Philosophies. New York: Wiley. 

McPheters, L., and W. Stronge (1974). "Crime as an 

Environmental Externality of Tourism: Miami, 

Florida." Land Economics 50(2):288–292. 

Metro-Dade Police Department (1996). "Tourist-Oriented 

Police Program." Submission for the Herman 

Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented 

Policing. 

Pelfrey, W. (1998). "Tourism and Crime: A Preliminary 

Assessment of the Relationship of Crime to the 

Number of Visitors at Selected Sites." International 

Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice 

22(2):293–304. 
References 2

Pizam, A., and Y. Mansfeld (eds.) (1996). Tourism, Crime, 

and International Security Issues. Chichester, England; 

New York: Wiley. 

Pizam, A., P. E. Tarlow, and J. Bloom (1997). "Making 

Tourists Feel Safe: Whose Responsibility Is It?" Journal 

of Travel Research (Summer): 23–28. 

Ruppel, G. (n.d.). "States Streamline Thief Prosecution." 

http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/2020/2020frid 

ay_001103_touristscams_feature.html#sidebar 

Shearing, C., and P. Stenning (1997). "From the

Panopticon to Disney World: The Development of

Discipline." In R. Clarke (ed.), Situational Crime

Prevention: Successful Case Studies (2nd ed.). Guilderland,

N.Y.: Harrow and Heston.

Sherman, L., P. Gardin, and M. Buerger (1989). "Hot

Spots of Predatory Crime: Routine Activities and the

Criminology of Place." Criminology 27(1):27–55.

Smith, G. (1999). "Toward a United States Policy on

Traveler Safety and Security: 1980-2000." Journal of

Travel Research 38(1):62–65.

World Tourism Organization (1996). Tourist Safety and

Security: Practical Measures for Destinations. Madrid, Spain:

World Tourism Organization.

About the Authors 3

About the Authors 

Ronald W. Glensor 

Ronald W. Glensor is a deputy chief of the Reno, Nev., Police 

Department. He has more than 26 years of police experience and 

has commanded the department's patrol, administration, and 

detective divisions. Glensor is recognized internationally for his 

work in community policing and has advised more than 500 

agencies throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and the 

United Kingdom. He was a research fellow at the Police Executive 

Research Forum (PERF) in Washington, D.C., where he was 

responsible for problem-solving training, and an Atlantic fellow in 

London, where he examined repeat victimization at the British 

Home Office. He received PERF's Gary P. Hayes Award in 1997. 

He coauthored Community Policing and Problem-Solving: Strategies and 

Practices, Police Supervision, and Policing Communities: Understanding 

Crime and Solving Problems. He has a master's in public 

administration and policy and a doctorate in political science from 

the University of Nevada, Reno. 

Ken Peak 

Ken Peak is professor and former chair of the Department of 

Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Reno. He entered 

municipal policing in Kansas in 1970 and subsequently held 

positions as a nine-county, LEAA-funded criminal justice planner 

in Kansas; director of the four-state Technical Assistance Institute 

for the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration; director of 

university police at Pittsburg State University, Kan.; acting public 

safety director at the University of Nevada, Reno; and assistant 
32 Crimes Against Tourists 

criminal justice professor at Wichita State University, Kan. 

He has authored or coauthored 16 textbooks (on 

community policing, justice administration, police 

supervision, general policing, and women in policing), as 

well as two historical books on bootlegging and 

temperance and more than 50 journal articles and 

additional book chapters. He is past chairman of the 

police section of the Academy of Criminal Justice 

Sciences and past president of the Western and Pacific 

Association of Criminal Justice Educators. He received 

two gubernatorial appointments to statewide criminal 

justice committees while in Kansas, and holds a doctorate 

from the University of Kansas. 
Recommended Readings 3

Recommended Readings 

• A Police Guide to Surveying Citizens and Their 

Environments, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1993. This 

guide offers a practical introduction for police practitioners 

to two types of surveys that police find useful: surveying 

public opinion and surveying the physical environment. It 

provides guidance on whether and how to conduct costeffective surveys. 

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An 

Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers, by 

John E. Eck (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Community Oriented Policing Services, 2001). This guide is 

a companion to the Problem-Oriented Guides for Police series. It 

provides basic guidance to measuring and assessing 

problem-oriented policing efforts. 

• Conducting Community Surveys, by Deborah Weisel 

(Bureau of Justice Statistics and Office of Community 

Oriented Policing Services, 1999). This guide, along with 

accompanying computer software, provides practical, basic 

pointers for police in conducting community surveys. The 

document is also available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs. 

• Crime Prevention Studies, edited by Ronald V. Clarke 

(Criminal Justice Press, 1993, et seq.). This is a series of 

volumes of applied and theoretical research on reducing 

opportunities for crime. Many chapters are evaluations of 

initiatives to reduce specific crime and disorder problems. 
34 Crimes Against Tourists 

• Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing:The 1999 

Herman Goldstein Award Winners. This document 

produced by the National Institute of Justice in 

collaboration with the Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services and the Police Executive Research Forum 

provides detailed reports of the best submissions to the 

annual award program that recognizes exemplary problemoriented responses to various community problems. A 

similar publication is available for the award winners from 

subsequent years. The documents are also available at 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. 

• Not Rocket Science? Problem-Solving and Crime 

Reduction, by Tim Read and Nick Tilley (Home Office 

Crime Reduction Research Series, 2000). Identifies and 

describes the factors that make problem-solving effective or 

ineffective as it is being practiced in police forces in 

England and Wales. 

• Opportunity Makes the Thief: Practical Theory for 

Crime Prevention, by Marcus Felson and Ronald V. 

Clarke (Home Office Police Research Series, Paper No. 98, 

1998). Explains how crime theories such as routine activity 

theory, rational choice theory and crime pattern theory have 

practical implications for the police in their efforts to 

prevent crime. 

• Problem Analysis in Policing, by Rachel Boba (Police 

Foundation, 2003). Introduces and defines problem 

analysis and provides guidance on how problem analysis 

can be integrated and institutionalized into modern 

policing practices. 
Recommended Readings 3

• Problem-Oriented Policing, by Herman Goldstein 

(McGraw-Hill, 1990, and Temple University Press, 1990). 

Explains the principles and methods of problem-oriented 

policing, provides examples of it in practice, and discusses 

how a police agency can implement the concept. 

• Problem-Oriented Policing and Crime 

Prevention, by Anthony A. Braga (Criminal Justice 

Press, 2003). Provides a through review of significant 

policing research about problem places, high-activity 

offenders, and repeat victims, with a focus on the 

applicability of those findings to problem-oriented 

policing. Explains how police departments can facilitate 

problem-oriented policing by improving crime analysis, 

measuring performance, and securing productive 

partnerships. 

• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the 

First 20 Years, by Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of 

Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 

2000). Describes how the most critical elements of 

Herman Goldstein's problem-oriented policing model have 

developed in practice over its 20-year history, and proposes 

future directions for problem-oriented policing. The report 

is also available at www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

• Problem-Solving: Problem-Oriented Policing in 

Newport News, by John E. Eck and William Spelman 

(Police Executive Research Forum, 1987). Explains the 

rationale behind problem-oriented policing and the 

problem-solving process, and provides examples of 

effective problem-solving in one agency. 
36 Crimes Against Tourists 

• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing Crime 

and Disorder Through Problem-Solving 

Partnerships by Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott 

Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. (U.S. 

Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services, 1998) (also available at 

www.cops.usdoj.gov). Provides a brief introduction to 

problem-solving, basic information on the SARA model 

and detailed suggestions about the problem-solving process. 

• Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case 

Studies, Second Edition, edited by Ronald V. Clarke 

(Harrow and Heston, 1997). Explains the principles and 

methods of situational crime prevention, and presents over 

20 case studies of effective crime prevention initiatives. 

• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems: 

Case Studies in Problem-Solving, by Rana Sampson 

and Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Community Oriented Policing Services, 2000) (also available 

at www.cops.usdoj.gov). Presents case studies of effective 

police problem-solving on 18 types of crime and disorder 

problems. 

• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook 

for Law Enforcement, by Timothy S. Bynum (U.S. 

Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services, 2001). Provides an introduction for 

police to analyzing problems within the context of 

problem-oriented policing. 

• Using Research: A Primer for Law Enforcement 

Managers, Second Edition, by John E. Eck and Nancy G. 

LaVigne (Police Executive Research Forum, 1994). Explains 

many of the basics of research as it applies to police 

management and problem-solving. 
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 3

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides series: 

1. Assaults in and Around Bars. Michael S. Scott. 2001. 

ISBN: 1-932582-00-2 

2. Street Prostitution. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-01-0 

3. Speeding in Residential Areas. Michael S. Scott. 2001. 

ISBN: 1-932582-02-9 

4. Drug Dealing in Privately Owned Apartment Complexes. 

Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-03-7 

5. False Burglar Alarms. Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-04-5 

6. Disorderly Youth in Public Places. Michael S. Scott. 2001. 

ISBN: 1-932582-05-3 

7. Loud Car Stereos. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-06-1 

8. Robbery at Automated Teller Machines. Michael S. Scott. 2001. 

ISBN: 1-932582-07-X 

9. Graffiti. Deborah Lamm Weisel. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-08-8 

10. Thefts of and From Cars in Parking Facilities. Ronald V. 

Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-09-6 

11. Shoplifting. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-10-X 

12. Bullying in Schools. Rana Sampson. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-11-8 

13. Panhandling. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-12-6 

14. Rave Parties. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-13-4 

15. Burglary of Retail Establishments. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002. 

ISBN: 1-932582-14-2 

16. Clandestine Drug Labs. Michael S. Scott. 2002. 

ISBN: 1-932582-15-0 

17. Acquaintance Rape of College Students. Rana Sampson. 2002. 

ISBN: 1-932582-16-9 

18. Burglary of Single-Family Houses. Deborah Lamm Weisel. 

2002. ISBN: 1-932582-17-7 

19. Misuse and Abuse of 911. Rana Sampson. 2002. 

ISBN: 1-932582-18-5 
38 Crimes Against Tourists 

20. Financial Crimes Against the Elderly. 

Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-22-3 

21. Check and Card Fraud. Graeme R. Newman. 2003. 

ISBN: 1-932582-27-4 

22. Stalking. The National Center for Victims of Crime. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-30-4 

23. Gun Violence Among Serious Young Offenders. Anthony A. 

Braga. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-31-2 

24. Prescription Fraud. Julie Wartell, Nancy G. La Vigne. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-33-9 

25. Identity Theft. Graeme R. Newman. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-35-5 

26. Crimes Against Tourists. Ronald W. Glensor, Kenneth J. Peak. 200

ISBN: 1-932582-36-3 

Response Guides series: 

• The Benefits and Consequences of Police Crackdowns. 

Michael S. Scott. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-24-X 

Problem-Solving Tools series: 

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide for 

Police Problem-Solvers. John E. Eck. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-19-3 

Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides 

Disorder at Budget Motels 

Domestic Violence 

Mentally Ill Persons 

Robbery of Taxi Drivers 

Student Party Disturbances on College Campuses 

School Break-Ins 

Street Racing 
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 3

Bomb Threats in Schools 

Underage Drinking 

Open-Air Drug Markets 

Sexual Offenses in Public Places 

Drunk Driving 

Cruising 

Bank Robbery 

Response Guides 

Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime 

Problem-Solving Tools 

Repeat Victimization 

Using Offender Interviews to Inform Police Problem-Solving 

Other Related COPS Office Publications 

• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook 

for Law Enforcement. Timothy S. Bynum. 

• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the First 

20 Years. Michael S. Scott. 2001. 

• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems: 

Case Studies in Problem-Solving. Rana Sampson and 

Michael S. Scott. 2000. 

• Community Policing, Community Justice, and 

Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the 

Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety. 

Caroline G. Nicholl. 1999. 

• Toolbox for Implementing Restorative Justice and 

Advancing Community Policing. Caroline G. Nicholl. 

2000. 
40 Crimes Against Tourists 

• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing 

Crime and Disorder Through Problem-Solving 

Partnerships. Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott 

Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. 1998. 

• Bringing Victims into Community Policing. The 

National Center for Victims of Crime and the Police 

Foundation. 2002. 

• Call Management and Community Policing. Tom 

McEwen, Deborah Spence, Russell Wolff, Julie Wartell 

and Barbara Webster. 2003. 

• Crime Analysis in America. Timothy C. O’Shea and 

Keith Nicholls. 2003. 

• Problem Analysis in Policing. Rachel Boba. 2003. 

• Reducing Theft at Construction Sites: Lessons 

From a Problem-Oriented Project. Ronald V. Clarke 

and Herman Goldstein. 2003. 

• The COPS Collaboration Toolkit: How to Build, 

Fix, and Sustain Productive Partnerships. Gwen O. 

Briscoe, Anna T. Laszlo and Tammy A. Rinehart. 

2001. 

• The Law Enforcement Tech Guide: How to plan, 

purchase and manage technology (successfully!). 

Kelly J. Harris and William H. Romesburg. 2002. 

• Theft From Cars in Center City Parking 

Facilities - A Case Study. Ronald V. Clarke and 

Herman Goldstein. 2003. 

For more information about the Problem-Oriented Guides for 

Police series and other COPS Office publications, please call 

the Department of Justice Response Center at 800.421.6770 

or visit COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

1100 Vermont Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20530 

To obtain details on COPS programs, call the 

U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 800.421.6770

Visit COPS Online at the address listed below. 

e07042406 Updated Date: July 26, 2004 

ISBN: 1-932582-36-3 

www.cops.usdoj.gov