U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

www.cops.usdoj.gov 

D i s o r d e r l y

Y o u t h i n P u b l i c 

P l a c e s 

by 

Michael S. Scott 

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series 

No. 6 
www.PopCenter.org 

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing 

Got a Problem? We’ve got answers! 

Log onto the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing web site at 

www.popcenter.org for a wealth of information to help you deal 

more effectively with crime and disorder in your community, 

including: 

• Web-enhanced versions of all currently available Guides 

• Interactive training exercises 

• Online access to research and police practices 

• Online problem analysis module. 

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. 6 

Disorderly Youth in 

Public Places 

Michael S. Scott 

This project was supported by cooperative agreement #99-

CK-WX-K004 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 

April 2004 

ISBN: 1-932582-05-3 

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series i 

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. Neither 

do they cover all of the technical details about how to 

implement specific responses. 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 problemoriented 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. (A companion series of ProblemSolving Tools guides has been produced to aid in various 

aspects of problem analysis and assessment.) 

• 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 elsewhere; what works in one place 

may not work everywhere. 
ii Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• 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. (A companion series of Response Guides has 

been produced to help you understand how commonly-used 

police responses work on a variety of problems.) 

• 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 iii 

• Are willing to work with others 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 bodies including other 

government agencies, non-governmental organizations, 

private businesses, public utilities, community groups, 

and individual citizens. 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. Each guide identifies particular 

individuals or groups in the community with whom 

police might work to improve the overall response to that 

problem. Thorough analysis of problems often reveals 

that individuals and groups other than the police are in 

a stronger position to address problems and that police 

ought to shift some greater responsibility to them to do 

so. Response Guide No. 3, Shifting and Sharing Responsibility 

for Public Safety Problems, provides further discussion of this 

topic. 

The COPS Office defines community policing as “a policing 

philosophy that promotes and supports organizational 

strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime 

and social disorder through problem-solving tactics and 

police-community partnerships.” These guides emphasize 

problem-solving and police-community partnerships in the 

context of addressing specific public safety problems. For 

the most part, the organizational strategies that can facilitate 

problem-solving and police-community partnerships vary considerably 

and discussion of them is beyond the scope of these guides. 

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. 
iv Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

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. 

Each guide is informed by a thorough review of the research 

literature and reported police practice and is anonymously 

peer-reviewed by line police officers, police executives and 

researchers prior to publication. 

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. 

For more information about problem-oriented policing, visit 

the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing online at www. 

popcenter.org. 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 problem-oriented policing training exercise 

• an interactive Problem Analysis Module 

• a manual for crime analysts 

• online access to important police research and practices 

• information about problem-oriented policing conferences 

and award programs. 
Acknowledgments v 

Acknowledgments 

The Problem-Oriented Guides for Police are produced by the 

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, whose officers are 

Michael S. Scott (Director), Ronald V. Clarke (Associate 

Director) and Graeme R. Newman (Associate Director). 

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 project team that developed the guide series comprised 

Herman Goldstein (University of Wisconsin Law School), 

Ronald V. Clarke (Rutgers University), John E. Eck (University 

of Cincinnati), Michael S. Scott (University of Wisconsin Law 

School), Rana Sampson (Police Consultant), and Deborah 

Lamm Weisel (North Carolina State University.) 

Members of the San Diego; National City, California; and 

Savannah, Georgia police departments provided feedback on 

the guides’ format and style in the early stages of the project. 

Cynthia E. Pappas oversaw the project for the COPS Office. 

Research for the guide was conducted at the Criminal Justice 

Library at Rutgers University under the direction of Phyllis 

Schultze. Suzanne Fregly edited this guide. 

Contents vii 

Contents 

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

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

The Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

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

Factors Contributing to Disorderly Youth in Public Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

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

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

Complainants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Location/Time Problem Occurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Creating Alternative Legitimate Places and Activities for Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Modifying Public Places To Discourage Disorderly Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Establishing and Enforcing Rules of Conduct for Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Responses With Limited Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorderly Youth in Public Places . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Other Guides in This Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

The Problem Problem of Disorderly Disorderly Youth in Public Places 1 

The Problem of Disorderly Youth in 

Public Places 

Disorderly youth§ in public places constitute one of the 

most common problems most police agencies must handle. 

Dealing with youth disorder requires a significant amount of 

police time, particularly in suburban and rural communities. 

Disorderly youth are a common source of complaints from 

urban residents and merchants, as well as from shoppers 

and merchants in malls and business districts.

1 Dealing with 

youth disorder appropriately requires considerable police skill 

and sensitivity. Officers must balance youths' rights against 

complainants' rights, distinguish legitimate from illegitimate 

complaints, at times be firm and at times be flexible with 

young people, and remain sensitive to how the public will 

perceive police actions. 

Related Problems 

Disorderly youth in public places are only one of many 

disorder and youth-related problems police must handle. 

This guide addresses the relatively minor, but often highly 

annoying, misconduct associated with youth congregating 

in public. This guide does not address the more serious 

misconduct associated with youth gang violence and 

intimidation. Additional disorder and youth-related problems 

include: 

• assaults in and around bars 

• graffiti 

• intimidation by youth gangs 

• large crowd management 

• loud car stereos 

• open-air drug dealing 

• panhandling 

• rave parties 

§ 

For the purposes of this guide, the 

terms youth, young people and teenagers 

are used interchangeably, with the 

understanding that some individuals 

discussed may not fall within the age 

ranges typically associated with these 

terms. 
2 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• reckless bicycle riding and skateboarding 

• shoplifting 

• street cruising 

• truancy 

• underage drinking 

• vandalism. 

Some of these related crime problems are covered in other 

guides in this series, all of which are listed at the end of this 

guide. 

Factors Contributing to Disorderly Youth in 

Public Places 

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. 

That young people will congregate in public is both inevitable 

and socially necessary. Congregating is part of the rite of 

passage from childhood to adulthood, allowing youth to 

socialize and bond with their peers, out of their parents' view. 

Young people's self-identity and self-worth are profoundly 

shaped by how they believe their peers perceive them, and 

gathering in public provides opportunities to see, and be seen 

by, others. Group settings provide a relatively safe context for 

teenagers to flirt and pair up with one another, supported and 

protected by their friends. 
The Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 3 

Kip Kellogg 

Congregating in public is an important aspect of youth socialization. 

Because youth congregation in public is so ordinary and 

normal, you must first determine if youths' conduct is 

actually disorderly and worthy of police attention. You must 

use sound judgment in deciding how to define the problem. 

Sometimes you will find that the heart of the problem is 

complaints that are either exaggerated or motivated by bias, 

in which case your responses should focus on educating 

complainants rather than controlling youths' conduct. 

Whether the conduct is deemed disorderly depends on many 

factors, including: 

• the youths' specific objectionable behavior 

• the youths' age 

• the complainants' tolerance levels 

• the community norms 

• the specific times and places where the problem occurs. 

Communities are often divided over what constitutes 

acceptable youth conduct. This is especially true in areas 

undergoing substantial demographic change–for example, 

an influx of youth where older residents predominated, or 

an influx of a new ethnic or racial group. Some misconduct, 

even if accepted by the community, might not be tolerable 

from a legal standpoint. Conversely, some youth conduct 
4 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

may bother some community members, but may be 

perfectly legal, perhaps even constitutionally protected. You 

must balance youths' right to congregate in public against 

others' right to be free from annoyance, harassment and 

intimidation. Furthermore, the legal grounds for disrupting 

youth gatherings in public are typically vague. It is easy to get 

frustrated by demands to control disorderly youth where no 

clear legal authority to do so exists. 

Young people often do not fully appreciate their conduct's 

effect on others. What they believe to be normal and 

legitimate behavior can sometimes make others apprehensive 

or afraid. Sometimes the mere presence of large youth 

groups, or their physical appearance (dress, hairstyles, body 

piercings, and tattoos), is intimidating regardless of their 

conduct. People often perceive youth groups congregating in 

public to be gangs and, therefore, dangerous. The elderly are 

particularly intimidated by large youth groups. In addition, 

group size may influence individual behavior–teenagers often 

behave in front of a group of peers in ways they would not if 

they were alone or in pairs. 

Savannah Police Department 

The sheer number of youth hanging out, such as around this roller 

skating rink, can generate public concern. 
The Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 5 

Among the specific behaviors (some legal and some not) 

commonly associated with youth disorderly conduct are 

• playing music loudly 

• cursing 

• blocking sidewalks and streets 

• playing games (football, soccer, stickball, etc.) in the street 

or near residences 

• drinking alcohol, smoking and using illegal drugs 

• making offensive remarks to passersby 

• fighting 

• littering 

• applying graffiti 

• vandalizing property 

• harassing security staff. 

Such problem behavior most commonly occurs 

• at shopping malls, 

• in plazas in business districts, 

• at video arcades, 

• in public parks, 

• on school grounds, 

• in apartment-complex common areas, 

• at public libraries, and 

• at convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. 

Savannah Police Department 

Fast-food restaurants are popular locations for youth to hang out. 
6 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

Disorderly youth are of particular concern to merchants 

because their presence intimidates shoppers, threatening 

revenues. Shoppers also frequently cite menacing youth as 

among their primary safety concerns.

2 However, young people 

themselves are a source of current and future revenue and, 

if treated poorly by merchants, will likely remember that 

treatment years later when choosing where to spend their 

money. Merchants are more likely to tolerate some disorderly 

behavior if the young people are also regular customers. You 

should be alert to these commercial interests. 

Youth surveys have identified some common complaints 

teenagers have about their opportunities to socialize in public, 

and about how authorities treat them.3 Their complaints 

include the following: 

• there is a lack of adequate facilities and activities for them 

• the police and other authorities harass and excessively 

supervise them 

• there is a lack of inexpensive food and entertainment for 

them 

• there is a lack of adequate public transportation for them 

• they do not always feel safe in public 

• merchants and others unfairly stereotype them. 

Young people typically say they want a place where they can 

hang out without excessive supervision, where they have some 

source of food and entertainment, where they have protection 

from the weather, and where they are safe from attack by rival 

groups. 
Understanding Your Local Problem 7 

Understanding Your Local Problem 

The information provided above is only a generalized 

description of disorderly youth in public places. You must 

combine the basic facts with a more specific understanding 

of your local problem. Analyzing the local problem carefully 

will help you design a more effective response strategy. To 

help you define the problem, you should speak with as many 

people affected by it as you can. 

Many incidents related to disorderly youth are not recorded 

in detail either by police or by private security. Most 

incidents are considered too minor to justify detailed reports. 

Unfortunately, it is from those details that the most effective 

responses will emerge. Consequently, you should first 

determine to what extent incidents are being recorded, and if 

they are not, create a reporting system that provides enough 

detail, at least temporarily, to give you a better understanding 

of the problem.§ 

Asking the Right Questions 

The following are some critical questions you should ask in 

analyzing your particular problem of disorderly youth, 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.§§ 

Complainants 

• Who is complaining about the youth? What are the specific 

complaints? 

• What are the complainants' interests (commercial, peace and 

quiet, freedom from intimidation)? 

§ Even a simple form that allows 

officers to check boxes rather 

than write extensive narratives is 

preferable to reporting systems that 

capture no detail at all. 

§§ A special note of caution is in 

order regarding official juvenile 

records: You should be sure 

to review applicable legal and 

policy guidelines or consult legal 

counsel before examining or 

sharing information drawn from 

official juvenile records. In most 

jurisdictions, access to and use of 

juvenile records are restricted. 
8 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• Do complaints seem legitimate or exaggerated? (Some 

complainants exaggerate their reports of the problem to get 

a quicker or harsher police response than is justified.) 

• Is there objective evidence to confirm the complaints (e.g., 

customers' staying away from businesses, tenants' moving 

out of apartments, reports of crimes committed by the 

youth)? 

• Are complaints filed with police, private security or 

other officials? Are complainants reluctant to file official 

complaints for fear of retaliation? 

• Are there different cultural perspectives on the problem? 

(Different cultures have different expectations regarding 

adult supervision of youth.) 

• How do complainants believe the problem could be better 

handled? 

• What, if anything, have complainants done on their own to 

try to address the problem? 

Youth 

• What are the characteristics of the young people causing 

the problems? How old are they? (There are significant 

differences between the interests and motivations of 13- to 

14-year-olds and those of 20- to 21-year-olds, even though 

all are generally considered youth.) What race or ethnicity 

are the youth? Are they students? What gender are they? 

(Girls typically have greater parental restrictions placed on 

them, and they sometimes prefer to hang out indoors.)4 

• Where do the youth live? Near the place they congregate, or 

far away from it? How do they get there? 

• Do some of the young people have serious personal 

problems (e.g., are they runaways, substance abusers, victims 

of child abuse, prostitutes, homeless)? 

• How do youth perceive the problem? 
Understanding Your Local Problem 9 

• Are youth more or less manageable when they congregate 

in large groups? (Smaller groups may congregate in multiple 

locations, making them more difficult to monitor.) 

• Is there any evidence the disorderly behavior is motivated 

by bias (racial or otherwise)? 

Location/Time Problem Occurs 

• Is the location where the youth congregate urban, suburban 

or rural? 

• Is the location public or private property, or a mixture of 

both? 

• Where, specifically, do the youth gather? Near entrances to 

businesses or other buildings? Near stairways, escalators or 

other high-traffic areas? 

• Are there comfortable places to sit or lean? 

• Why do the youth gather where they do? For purely social 

reasons, or because they want to be near a particular 

institution (school, business, tavern, or club)? Why do they 

say they gather there? Do they feel they have been forced 

away from other locations, or is there something particular 

about this location that attracts them? 

• What accounts for the location's attractiveness? The type 

of food served? Access to restrooms, telephones, video 

machines? Seating (e.g., tables and chairs provided for 

regular patrons, benches at bus stops)? Absence of a 

manager or other authority? 

• What specific factors contribute to disorderliness 

(e.g., crowding, differing characteristics of youth and 

complainants, differing uses of public space, absence of 

authorities)? 

• Are youth congregating where they expect to be visible to 

the public (and the police), or where they do not expect to 

be seen? 
10 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• Does the manager of the place where youth congregate 

tolerate disorderly behavior more so than seems reasonable? 

(If so, the manager may be involved in illicit conduct for 

which the youth offer some protection.)5 

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. You should take all measures in both 

the target area and the surrounding area. (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 disorderly youth in public 

places: 

• reduced recorded crime and disorder incidents related to 

youth in public places 

• reduced calls for police service related to youth in public 

places (increased reports to officials or reduced anonymous 

complaints may be a positive indicator initially if you 

determine that complainants have previously been reluctant 

to come forward) 

• reduced numbers of young people congregating at 

particular locations (if crowd size contributes to the 

disorderliness) 

• reduced numbers of repeat offenders 
Understanding Your Local Problem 11 

• improved perceptions of complainants (merchants, 

shoppers, residents) 

• improved perceptions of elected officials who often receive 

complaints about juvenile disorder 

• improved perceptions of youth regarding how fairly they 

are treated 

• improved perceptions of parents regarding their children's 

conduct and police treatment of their children 

• reduced costs for repairs due to vandalism (if vandalism is 

part of the problem) 

• evidence of displacement of the problem to other locations 

(where complaints may be higher or lower) 

• evidence of reduced youth disorder-related crimes and 

complaints in areas not directly targeted by your initiative 

(otherwise known as a diffusion of benefits). 

Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 13 

Responses to the Problem of Disorderly 

Youth in Public Places 

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 address the problem. 

The following response strategies provide a foundation 

of ideas for addressing your particular problem. These 

strategies are drawn from a variety of research studies and 

police reports. Several of these strategies 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. Give special consideration 

to involving youth themselves in seeking solutions to the 

problems caused by their gathering in public.

§ 

There are three general approaches to addressing problems of 

disorderly youth in public places: 

• a pure control approach that views the youth as offenders 

whose conduct is to be controlled and prohibited coercively 

• a developmental approach that views the youth more neutrally 

and adopts methods that, in addition to controlling 

misconduct, seek to improve the youths' general welfare 

• an accommodation approach that balances the youths' needs 

and desires against the complainants' needs and desires.

6 

§ See Kenney and Watson (1998) for 

a description of an effort to get high 

school students to apply problemsolving skills to address school safety 

issues. 
14 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

Whenever possible, the developmental and accommodation 

approaches are recommended because they are more likely to 

be effective, and they reduce mistrust and hostility between 

youth and authority figures, including police.

7 The general 

public and the media tend to react negatively to what they 

perceive as heavy-handed police responses against youth. 

Parents commonly complain when police resort to arrest as 

a means of solving youth disorder problems. Some young 

people may even find the extra efforts of police and others 

to control their conduct exciting–a game of cat and mouse– 

making disorderly behavior even more appealing to them.8 

The following are specific responses that police and others 

have applied to youth disorder in public. These responses 

variously incorporate pure control, developmental and 

accommodation approaches. They are organized into three 

categories: (1) creating alternative legitimate places and 

activities for youth, (2) modifying public places to discourage 

disorderly behavior, and (3) establishing and enforcing rules 

of conduct for youth. 

Creating Alternative Legitimate Places and Activities 

for Youth 

1. Creating new places for youth to congregate, and 

providing alternative activities. Recognizing that most 

young people want to hang out with their peers without 

excessive adult supervision, some police agencies have 

supported youth clubs, drop-in centers or recreation centers 

to attract youth who otherwise would be creating public 

disorder.

9 In England, the Lancashire police arranged for 

youth to help an architect design a public youth shelter.

10 

Some shopping malls operate centers where youth can hang 

out without disturbing shoppers.

11 Some police officers have 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 15 

helped to organize alternative constructive activities for young 

people such as youth clubs or athletic programs, and have 

given youth an active role in managing these programs.

12, § 

If you go this route, you should take care not to become 

solely responsible for running a new program. You may be 

better advised just to call attention to the need for youth 

programs and activities rather than try to establish and run 

them yourself. 

2. Providing outreach services to youth. In addition to 

needing recreation, entertainment and a place to socialize, 

some young people need health, legal and social services that 

they do not or cannot obtain through normal channels. Some 

youth who create public disorder are supported by stable 

families, but others are not. Some are runaways, substance 

abusers, victims of child neglect and abuse, homeless, or 

prostitutes. Police can support initiatives to provide outreach 

services to youth.13 These services can be an effective bridge 

between youth and formal authorities like the police.

14 

Outreach workers can help identify particular needs of youth 

groups and individuals, and broker services and assistance for 

them. They can also remind youth to behave appropriately in 

public, without threatening them with enforcement. 

3. Employing youth at businesses negatively affected 

by disorderly behavior. Some merchants have succeeded 

in reducing the incidence of youth disorder by employing 

qualified youth to work in establishments near where young 

people congregate. The employed youth have a greater sense 

of responsibility for and stake in maintaining order.

15 

4. Ensuring youth have adequate transportation to and 

from events. Event planners and parents do not always 

provide adequate transportation for youth, leaving large 

numbers of young people unsupervised on the streets before 

and after events. Special event and youth program managers 

§ Police athletic leagues, first started 

in New York City in 1914, are now 

an institutionalized means by which 

the police help provide alternative 

positive activities for youth. Part of 

their stated mission is to prevent 

juvenile delinquency. 
16 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

should be encouraged to factor transportation costs into 

their financial calculations. Police in Newport News, Virginia 

addressed a problem of disorderly youths' leaving a roller 

skating rink late at night by ensuring adequate transportation 

for them at closing time.

16 

Modifying Public Places To Discourage Disorderly 

Behavior 

5. Encouraging youth to gather where they will not 

disturb others. If youth are congregating near a particular 

institution (school, business, tavern, or club), try to get that 

institution to work with you to persuade the youth to move 

where their behavior will not disturb others. If rival groups 

are gathering at the same location, try to change the times 

when the groups gather, or try to get one group to congregate 

elsewhere. Some officers have had bus stops relocated to 

prevent conflicts between rival youth groups. A Joliet, Illinois 

police officer negotiated with a stadium owner to let youth 

congregate in a section of the stadium parking lot.17 Many 

police officers negotiate informal agreements with youth, for 

example, exchanging a degree of tolerance of rowdy behavior 

for keeping noise and litter under control.18 

6. Avoiding locating businesses that attract youth where 

others will be intimidated by them. This response applies 

mainly to shopping malls where mall managers can determine 

the specific location of businesses. Fast-food restaurants and 

video arcades commonly attract large youth groups. If they 

are located near mall entrances and exits or along heavily 

traveled pathways, shoppers are forced to walk past the youth, 

and the potential for intimidation rises.

19 Without training, 

mall managers may not have a good understanding of how 

design features and business locations can affect crime and 

disorder levels.

20 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 17 

An Effective Strategy in New York City 

Police Officer Kevin O'Connor of New York City's Midtown North precinct faced an 

ongoing problem with disorderly youth for most of the 1991-92 school year. Each day at 

dismissal, students from both Park West High School on W. 50th Street and Graphic Arts 

High School on W. 49th Street would flood the blocks in the immediate neighborhood. 

Large and noisy groups would hang out in the area, and fights would all too often erupt. 

O'Connor realized that the schools' procedures contributed to the disorderly youth 

gatherings–the schools were dismissing their students at almost exactly the same time, 

onto the same block of W. 50th Street. With energy running high, the crowding of all 

those teenagers onto one block produced a chaotic atmosphere that was perfect for 

escalating petty rivalries into full-scale confrontations–always noisy, sometimes violent 

and inevitably a major problem for those in the area. 

O'Connor got in touch with administrators at both schools. The assistant principal of 

Park High helped O'Connor understand that "the problem is not only school rivalries, 

but ethnic and neighborhood rivalries. These schools draw students from different 

neighborhoods." O'Connor then met with the principals from both high schools, and 

persuaded them to stagger dismissal times and direct departing students in opposite 

directions. Since most of the students from Graphic Arts lived in Brooklyn, they would 

be dismissed at 2:30 p.m. and diverted to 49th Street, where they could catch the 8th 

Avenue trains back home. Students from Park High would be dismissed at 2:55 p.m., 

and since most lived in Washington Heights, they would be directed to the trains at 50th 

Street and Broadway. 

This simple strategy–modifying the schools' procedures–effectively discouraged the 

formation of disorderly groups at the end of the school day. O'Connor believes that the 

procedural changes reduced the after-school disorder problem by 70 percent. 

Note: This account is excerpted with minor stylistic modifications from New York City Police Department 

(1993). 
18 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

§ The local law also regulates 

operation hours, occupancy limits, 

age restrictions, lighting, restroom 

access, and conduct rules in 

video arcades. The Delta Police 

Department's study of the problem 

and local law has served as a model 

across Canada (Sheard 1998). 

7. Reducing the comfort level, convenience or attraction 

of popular youth gathering places. Eliminating 

comfortable places to sit or lean discourages youth from 

congregating in particular places (although it might prove 

a similar inconvenience for others).21 If the location is 

outdoors, consider modifying structures (bus shelters, shop 

doorways, playground equipment, park shelters, pedestrian 

tunnels, covered alleys, bridges) so that they do not offer 

much protection from the weather.

22 

The type of background music can also influence where 

youth choose to congregate: playing classical music, for 

example, can discourage some young people from hanging 

out within earshot of it.23 Intensifying the lighting where 

youth congregate can also make the location less attractive to 

them.24 

Police in Edmonton, Alberta worked with the community 

and other city agencies to landscape a park that had become a 

hangout for older youth who intimidated other park users and 

vandalized park property. The new park configuration made it 

more visible from adjacent roads. Problems declined without 

need for extra police enforcement.25 Police in Peel, Ontario 

worked with school officials to redesign the school parking lot 

and hallways, thereby significantly reducing disorder problems 

caused by students and trespassers.

26 Police in Delta, British 

Columbia determined that video arcades' physical layout 

influenced youth disorder levels in and around them. They 

proposed local legislation that regulates video arcade design in 

ways that improve arcade employees' ability to monitor youth 

conduct.§ 

If youth rely on cars to get to the location, or if cars are the 

attraction (part of a street cruising problem), consider altering 

parking regulations to limit youths' ability to gather a lot of 

cars in one place.

27 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 19 

8. Installing and monitoring closed-circuit television 

(CCTV) cameras. CCTV, used extensively in the United 

Kingdom and generally supported by merchants, shoppers 

and the general public, has shown some effectiveness in 

controlling youth disorder in public places.

28, § A Scottish 

study concluded that a CCTV camera positioned in a public 

town center had the effect of moving disorder incidents out 

of the camera's view, keeping fights among youth briefer, 

with fewer combatants. Overall, the CCTV reduced the actual 

number of disorder incidents, although the study noted that 

the number of recorded incidents might well rise due to the 

increased CCTV monitoring.

29 Another U.K. study concluded 

that CCTV was more useful for alerting police to disorder 

incidents than for deterring disorder in the first place.

30 

Establishing and Enforcing Rules of Conduct for Youth 

9. Enlisting others to exercise informal social control 

over youth. You should support and reinforce the informal 

social control that others can exercise over young people. 

Enlist parents, school officials, employers, coaches, and others 

to establish and enforce standards of youth conduct in public. 

Research has established that people who are responsible 

for managing places–whether malls, businesses, apartment 

buildings, commercial districts, or parks–can collectively act to 

enforce rules and standards of orderly behavior that result in 

reduced disorder.

31 

Police can notify people, in person or in writing, about 

individuals causing problems. Officers in Manchester, England 

distributed a leaflet to parents explaining the problems, 

police responses, parental responsibilities, and potential 

consequences for failing to control their children's behavior 

(including sanctions against their public housing privileges).32 

Police in Lancashire, England videotaped disorderly youth and 

§ 

For a review of research on the 

effects of CCTV and street lighting 

on crime prevention, see Painter and 

Tilley (1999). 
20 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

showed the videotapes to their parents.

33 Many jurisdictions 

have parental responsibility laws, with sanctions against 

parents who fail to exercise reasonable control of their 

children's conduct; however, these laws are rarely enforced. 

10. Establishing clear rules of conduct, and educating 

youth about them. Patrol officers usually develop their 

own personal standards for youth conduct, which they pass 

on to the youth by word or action. Unfortunately, the same 

youth are subject to many different patrol officers' standards. 

When the standards change depending on which officer is 

on duty, youth perceive the standards to be arbitrary and, 

therefore, unfair.

34 You should try to get officers to agree 

on a reasonably consistent set of standards for dealing with 

congregating youth. 

Shopping mall managers should establish a clear set of rules 

of conduct and post them where youth congregate. Some 

merchants impose minimum-purchase requirements or restrict 

restroom use to paying customers to discourage youth from 

gathering outside their businesses. Some malls have resorted 

to requiring teenagers to have parental escorts during certain 

hours. 

Some Dutch police visit schools at the beginning of the 

school year to inform students about rules of conduct that 

will apply in places where students are known to hang out.35 

Lancashire police instituted a juvenile nuisance register to log 

police officers' warnings to young people and justify harsher 

responses if the youth ignore the warnings.

36 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 21 

Michael Scott 

Clearly posted rules in shopping 

malls are recommended to 

discourage disorderly conduct. 

11. Mediating conflicts between youth and complainants. 

As noted earlier, young people often fail to appreciate their 

behavior's effect on others. Bringing youth and complainants 

together can result in a healthy exchange of perspectives. In 

some instances, complainants have been known to become 

more sympathetic to the lack of opportunities for youth, and 

willing to help provide them.37 If there is racial or ethnic bias 

to the complaints, you might consider providing professional 

cultural awareness training for complainants and youth.38 

12. Denying youths' anonymity. In some instances, simply 

getting to know the names and faces of young people, thereby 

removing their sense of anonymity, is sufficient to discourage 

them from causing trouble.

39 Without being antagonistic 

or accusatory, police and private security officers can make 

special efforts to let youth know they can readily be identified. 

In some instances, police and private security have resorted to 

photographing and identifying youth who create disturbances, 
22 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

either as part of an official trespass warning system, or merely 

to put the troublemakers on notice that their conduct is being 

monitored.40 If you adopt this response, you should make 

certain you adhere to applicable laws and policies regarding 

photographing juveniles. 

13. Deploying police paraprofessionals to patrol public 

places where youth congregate. Police in the Netherlands 

and the United Kingdom hire and assign uniformed 

paraprofessionals–variously called wardens, special constables 

or patrollers–to patrol public places where youth often 

congregate.

41 Evaluations of these paraprofessionals' 

effectiveness have shown some reductions in citizen fear and 

complaints about youth disorder in the areas patrolled,42 

but at least in the United Kingdom, the paraprofessionals 

were not well received by either the police or the general 

public.

43 Their effectiveness appears to depend on their 

being reasonable and approachable rather than trying to be 

intimidating.

44 Some police agencies have supported citizen 

patrols to help monitor young people's behavior in public.

45 

Private security officers constitute one type of 

paraprofessional, and while they tend to be dressed and 

equipped like police officers, some youth are more likely to 

challenge their authority and try to provoke confrontations 

if they resemble police.

46 Police might provide training to 

private security in handling youth in public places.

47 

14. Enforcing truancy laws. Truancy enforcement can be 

effective in reducing youth disorder occurring during school 

hours.

48 Police can educate complainants about truancy laws 

so that they know when and how to notify authorities about 

truancy violations. However, truancy enforcement, while an 

increasingly popular idea, is not necessarily an appropriate 

response to your particular disorderly youth problem.§ For it 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 23 

to be effective, school officials and other juvenile authorities 

must cooperate with police and develop practices and 

programs that prevent truancy, while addressing underlying 

problems that might cause habitual truancy. Police agencies 

should establish specific policies and procedures for truancy 

enforcement rather than rely on occasional and highly 

discretionary enforcement. 

15. Enforcing curfew laws. Curfew laws are intended to 

keep youth off the streets at night, so that they are more likely 

to be under adult supervision at home. Some jurisdictions, 

such as Orlando, Florida, have imposed curfews on juveniles 

only in the downtown entertainment districts, where problems 

have been concentrated. Whether curfew enforcement is 

effective at reducing youth disorder depends on particular 

local conditions.

49 In many jurisdictions, youth are more likely 

to cause trouble after school than at night.50 

Proposals to enact or enforce juvenile curfews almost 

always inspire community debate.

§§ The general public and, 

presumably, young people themselves are more likely to 

accept curfews if alternative legitimate activities and places 

for youth to gather exist.51 If police are expected to enforce 

juvenile curfews, there must be convenient holding facilities 

that allow officers to return to the streets quickly; otherwise, 

they are not likely to take juveniles into custody. As with 

truancy enforcement, police agencies that opt to enforce 

curfew laws should establish specific policies and procedures 

relating to enforcement. 

16. Banning troublemakers from private property. If 

youth are congregating and creating disturbances on privately 

owned property, such as business parking lots or apartment 

complexes, you might consider securing authority from the 

property owners for the police to enforce trespass laws. 

Trespass enforcement was one of a combination of responses 

§ There is a considerable body of 

literature on truancy and the police 

role in addressing it that you may 

want to consult if you use truancy 

enforcement as a response to 

disorderly youth problems. 

§§ See O'Brien and Joseph (1999) for 

a discussion of the pros and cons of 

juvenile curfews. 
24 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

§ American courts recognize the 

quasi-public nature of shopping 

malls and have extended certain 

constitutional guarantees, especially 

those relating to free speech and 

assembly, to those visiting malls. The 

extent to which a mall is considered 

public or private depends in part 

on whether there are any public 

rights-of-way on the mall grounds. 

Malls with public transportation 

links, government offices or police 

substations on the premises are more 

likely to be deemed quasi-public, 

thereby limiting mall owners' right to 

exclude certain people. 

St. Petersburg, Florida police used to reduce problems caused 

by students' gathering in a convenience store parking lot. 

Stricter truancy enforcement by school officials and the 

turning off of video games in the convenience store during 

school hours were the other key responses.

52 Newport News, 

Virginia police also used trespass enforcement to deal with 

disorderly youth at a shopping plaza, and encouraged judges 

to order convicted offenders to stay away from the plaza as a 

condition of a suspended sentence.

53 

Shopping malls are generally considered private rather than 

public places, giving mall owners and managers greater 

legal authority to deny access to the premises, but in many 

jurisdictions, they are considered quasi-public. You should 

consult with legal counsel in deciding how the police can 

properly support this response.

§ 

Police agencies should 

establish specific policy guidelines that cover police officers' 

authority and responsibilities in helping mall authorities 

enforce the bans. You must take special care not to support 

arbitrary or discriminatory banning practices. Identities of 

banned youth should be provided to merchants and security 

staff. 

Responses With Limited Effectiveness 

17. Increasing patrol by uniformed police officers. 

Merely increasing uniformed police officers' presence around 

locations where youth gather is expensive, inefficient and 

usually ineffective. 

18. Strictly enforcing laws against youth. Many police 

officers are hesitant to rely excessively on arrest as a means 

of controlling troublesome youth behavior. Where juvenile 

justice system sanctions are lenient, as they often are for 

minor offenses, officers prefer not to expose youth to that 

leniency, hoping that they will believe the sanctions to be 
Responses to the Problem of Disorderly Youth in Public Places 25 

serious.

54 It may be necessary for you to strictly enforce 

some laws, at least for a while, just to convince youth that 

the option is available. Done properly, some enforcement can 

open lines of communication between you and young people 

who might question your authority to act.55 

Appendix 27 

Appendix: Summary of Responses to 

Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

The table below summarizes the responses to disorderly 

youth in public places, the mechanism by which they are 

intended to work, the conditions under which they should 

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 

Creating Alternative Legitimate Places and Activities for Youth 

1. 14 Creating new 

places for youth 

to congregate, 

and providing 

alternative 

activities 

Removes excuses 

for youth to 

hang out and 

be disorderly in 

public, for lack 

of anything else 

to do 

...there are few 

or no alternative 

legitimate

activities for 

youth in the area 

Police can 

support creating 

alternative places 

and activities, but 

should be careful 

not to become 

solely responsible 

for running 

those places and 

activities 

2. 15 Providing 

outreach services 

to youth 

Identifies more 

serious problems 

of some youth, 

such as substance 

abuse, child 

abuse, mental 

illness, etc. 

...the young 

people causing 

the problems 

are suspected 

to have more 

serious individual 

problems and 

needs 

Requires resource 

commitments 

from 

professionals

outside of the 

police department 
28 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It 

Works 

Works 

Best If... 

Considerations 

3. 15 Employing youth at businesses 

negatively 

affected by 

disorderly

behavior 

Promotes a greater sense of

responsibility

among youth for 

maintaining order 

in those places 

...there is viable 

employment in 

the area, and 

young people 

have skills that match employers' 

needs 

Business owners must be willing to employ youth 

4. 15 Ensuring youth 

have adequate 

transportation to 

and from events 

Removes excuses 

for youth to be 

on the street 

before and after 

events 

...existing

transportation is 

inadequate 

May require 

additional 

expenditures

from public 

transportation 

companies 

Modifying Public Places to Discourage Disorderly Behavior 

5. 16 Encouraging

youth to gather 

where they will 

not disturb others 

Separates youth 

from likely 

complainants 

...there are viable 

alternative places 

for youth to 

gather in the area 

May require 

negotiation because 

police may not 

be able to force 

youth to move; 

may require place 

managers' or 

property owners' 

cooperation to 

allow youth to 

6. 16 Avoiding locating 

businesses that 

attract youth 

where others will 

be intimidated by 

them 

Separates youth 

from likely 

complainants 

...there are 

alternative 

sites for the 

youth-oriented 

businesses 

congregate 

Requires the 

cooperation of

people such as mall 

managers; youthoriented businesses 

may object to being 

moved away from 

the main flow of 

7. 18 Reducing the 

comfort level, convenience or 

attraction of 

popular youth 

gathering places 

Discourages 

youth from 

congregating in a 

particular place 

...the changes 

are not unduly 

burdensome on 

legitimate users 

of the place 

consumers 

May require 

additional 

expenditures to 

redesign the place; 

may discourage 

legitimate uses of the place; may 

displace youth to a more problematic 
Appendix 29 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It 

Works 

Works 

Best If... 

Considerations 

8. 19 Installing and 

monitoring

closed-circuit 

television (CCTV) cameras 

Increases the 

ability of police or private security to detect disorder 

and respond 

quickly; increases 

the likelihood that 

offenders can be 

identified later; 

discourages youth 

from engaging 

in disorderly 

behavior in view 

of the camera 

...police or private security 

has the resources to monitor CCTV 

Cameras must be protected 

from vandalism; 

monitoring is 

labor-intensive; evaluations of 

CCTV show mixed 

effectiveness; some 

communities object 

to public CCTV on 

privacy grounds 

Establishing and Enforcing Rules of Conduct for Youth 

9. 19 Enlisting others 

to exercise 

informal social 

control over 

youth 

Provides help 

from others in 

controlling youth 

...youth value 

their relationship 

with those seeking 

to exercise 

informal social 

control over them 

Police must be 

careful not to 

support draconian 

or abusive forms of 

punishment 

10. 20 Establishing clear 

rules of conduct, 

and educating 

youth about them 

Clarifies what 

conduct is and is 

not acceptable; 

removes excuses for unacceptable 

behavior 

...rules are 

simple, fair and 

clearly conveyed 

Rules must not 

violate youths' 

constitutional rights; 

if youth perceive rules to be unfair, 

it may exacerbate 

tension and mistrust 

between youth 

and authorities, 

including police 

11. 21 Mediating

conflicts between 

youth and 

complainants 

Helps youth and 

complainants

better understand 

one another's 

concerns and 

perspectives 

...youth and 

complainants are 

willing to listen 

to one another, 

and conflicts are relatively minor 

Requires mediation 

skills; may not be 

a valid response if

offenses are serious 
30 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It 

Works 

Works 

Best If... 

Considerations 

12. 21 Denying youths' 

anonymity 

Makes youth 

realize they can be 

held accountable 

for their actions 

...the same individuals return to the problem 

location, and the same police or security officers 

handle the 

problem 

Compulsory 

identification and 

photographing 

of offenders must comply with 

applicable laws and 

policies 

13. 22 Deploying police 

paraprofessionals

to patrol public 

places where 

youth congregate 

Increases the level 

of surveillance 

of public 

places; imposes 

supervision on 

youth that is not 

as threatening to 

them as police 

supervision might 

be 

...paraprofessionals are authorized 

by local law to 

patrol in public 

and are properly 

trained to handle 

youth disorder 

Neither the police 

nor the general 

public may support 

paraprofessionals 

14. 22 Enforcing truancy 

laws 

Removes excuses 

for youth to be on 

the street during 

school hours 

...there is a place 

where police can 

bring truants and 

quickly return 

to service, there 

are meaningful 

truancy 

interventions by schools, and likely 

complainants are 

educated about 

truancy laws and 

how to recognize 

and report truants 

Requires support 

and resource 

commitments from 

school officials 

and other juvenile 

authorities 

15. 23 Enforcing curfew 

laws 

Removes excuses 

for youth to be on 

the street at night, 

thereby reducing 

opportunities for 

them to offend 

and be victimized 

...the general 

public supports 

curfew 

enforcement, and 

youth disorder 

occurs at night 

Potential legal 

challenges to 

curfew laws and 

enforcement 

thereof; without 

public support, the 

police will appear 

heavy-handed 

and youth will be 

perceived as victims 
Appendix 31 

Response 

No. 

Page No. Response How It 

Works 

Works 

Best If... 

Considerations 

16. 23 Banning

troublemakers from private property 

Removes the worst offenders 

from places where 

they disturb 

others 

...private security 

and police 

maintain accurate records of 

banned people's 

identities and 

the time periods 

for which those 

people are banned 

Potential legal challenges to banning that may 

depend on whether 

the property is 

deemed private or quasi-public 

Responses With Limited Effectiveness 

17. 24 Increasing patrol 

by uniformed 

police officers 

Labor-intensive and 

only temporarily 

effective 

18. 24 Strictly enforcing 

laws against youth 

Labor-intensive as a 

long-term strategy; 

police risk losing 

public support by 

appearing

heavy-handed 

Endnotes 33 

Endnotes 

1 Skogan (1987); Beck and Willis (1995). 2 Beck and Willis (1995). 3 National Crime Prevention (1999); Lancashire Constabulary (1999); Parker (1993). 4 National Crime Prevention (1999). 5 Meehan (1992). 6 National Crime Prevention (1999). 7 White (1998). 8 White and Sutton (1995). 9 Bland and Read (2000); Lancashire Constabulary (1999); Ball (1994). 10 Lancashire Constabulary (1999). 11 Poole (1991). 12 New York City Police Department (1993); Lancashire Constabulary (1999); Cleveland 

Police (1998). 13 Lancashire Constabulary (1999). 14 Phillips and Cochrane (1988); Bland and Read (2000); White (1998); Poole (1991). 15 Phillips and Cochrane (1988); White (1998); Ball (1994). 16 Eck and Spelman (1987). 17 Parker (1993). 18 Meehan (1992). 19 Poole (1991). 20 Poole (1991). 21 Poole (1991). 22 Lancashire Constabulary (1999). 23 Chambers (1991). 24 New York City Police Department (1993). 25 Cooper and Kracher (1996). 26 McKay (1997). 27 New York City Police Department (1993). 28 Brown (1997). 29 Ditton and Short (1998); see also Ditton and Short (1999). 30 Oc and Tiesdell (1997). 31 Green Mazerolle, Kadleck and Roehl (1998). 32 Bland and Read (2000); Lancashire Police Constabulary (1999); Cleveland Police (1998). 33 Bland and Read (2000); Lancashire Police Constabulary (1999). 34 Meehan (1992). 35 Phillips and Cochrane (1988); see also Parker (1993). 36 Bland and Read (2000); Lancashire Police Constabulary (1999). 37 Phillips and Cochrane (1988); Bland and Read (2000); Cleveland Police (1998); Ball (1994). 
34 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

50 

51 

52 

53 

54 

55 

New York City Police Department (1993). 

Poole (1991). 

Eck and Spelman (1987). 

Hofstra and Shapland (1997); Southgate, Bucke and Byron 

(1995); Lancashire Police Constabulary (1999); Jacobson and 

Saville (1999). 

Hofstra and Shapland (1997); Southgate, Bucke and Byron 

(1995); Jacobson and Saville (1999). 

Southgate, Bucke and Byron (1995). 

Hofstra and Shapland (1997). 

Bland and Read (2000). 

Poole (1991). 

Phillips and Cochrane (1988). 

Bland and Read (2000); Lancashire Police Constabulary (1999); 

Poole (1991); Books (1995). 

White (1998); Bland and Read (2000). 

White (1998). 

White (1998). 

Books (1995). 

Eck and Spelman (1987). 

Meehan (1992). 

New York City Police Department (1993). 
References 35 

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Young People's Use of Public Space. Canberra (Australia): 

National Crime Prevention, Attorney-General's 

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New York City Police Department (1993). Disorderly Groups. 

Problem-Solving Annual for Community Police Officers and 

Supervisors. New York: New York City Police Department. 

O'Brien, L., and P. Joseph (1999). "Are Juvenile Curfews a 

Legal and Effective Way To Reduce Juvenile Crime?" In J. 

Sewell (ed.), Controversial Issues in Policing. Boston: Allyn and 

Bacon. 

Oc, T., and S. Tiesdell (eds.) (1997). Safer City Centres: Reviving 

the Public Realm. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. 

Painter, K., and N. Tilley (eds.) (1999). Surveillance of Public 

Space: CCTV, Street Lighting and Crime Prevention. Crime 

Prevention Studies, Vol. 10. Monsey (New York): Criminal 

Justice Press. 

Parker, P. (1993). "Mediation With the Congregation: Property 

Owners Praise POP Efforts Aimed at Youth Gatherings." 

Police (March):26-27. 

Phillips, S., and R. Cochrane (1988). Crime and Nuisance in the 

Shopping Centre: A Case Study in Crime Prevention. London: 

Home Office Crime Prevention Unit. 

Poole, R. (1991). Safer Shopping: The Identification of Opportunities 

for Crime and Disorder in Covered Shopping Centres. London: 

Home Office Police Requirements Support Unit. 

Sheard, M. (1998). "The Elite Arcade: Taming a Crime 

Generator." Problem-Solving Quarterly 11(2):1-4. 
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Skogan, W. (1987). Disorder and Community Decline. Evanston 

(Illinois): Center for Urban Affairs and Police Research, 

Northwestern University. 

Southgate, P., T. Bucke and C. Byron (1995). The Parish Special 

Constables Scheme. London: Home Office Research and 

Statistics Department. 

White, R. (1998). "Curtailing Youth: A Critique of Coercive 

Crime Prevention." In L. Green Mazerolle and J. Roehl 

(eds.), Civil Remedies and Crime Prevention. Crime Prevention 

Studies, Vol. 9. Monsey (New York): Criminal Justice Press. 

White, R., and A. Sutton (1995). "Crime Prevention, Urban 

Space and Social Exclusion." Australian and New Zealand 

Journal of Sociology 31(1):81-99. 
About the Author 39 

About the Author 

Michael S. Scott 

Michael S. Scott is the director of the Center for ProblemOriented Policing, Inc. and clinical assistant professor at 

the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. He 

was formerly chief of police in Lauderhill, Florida; served 

in various civilian administrative positions in the St. Louis 

Metropolitan, Ft. Pierce, Florida, and New York City police 

departments; and was a police officer in the Madison 

(Wisconsin) Police Department. Scott developed training 

programs in problem-oriented policing at the Police Executive 

Research Forum (PERF), and is a judge for PERF's Herman 

Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented 

Policing. He was the 1996 recipient of the Gary P. Hayes 

Award for innovation and leadership in policing. Scott holds 

a law degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor's 

degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Recommended Readings 41 

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. 
42 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• 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 43 

• 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 thorough 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. 
44 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

• 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 Guides in This Series 45 

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 

20. Financial Crimes Against the Elderly. 

Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-22-3 
46 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

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 and Nancy G. La Vigne. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-33-9 

25. Identity Theft. Graeme R. Newman. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-35-3 

26. Crimes Against Tourists. Ronald W. Glesnor and Kenneth J. Peak. 

2004 ISBN: 1-932582-36-3 

27. Underage Drinking. Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-39-8 

28. Street Racing. Kenneth J. Peak and Ronald W. Glensor. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-42-8 

29. Cruising. Kenneth J. Peak and Ronald W. Glensor. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-43-6 

30. Disorder at Budget Motels. Karin Schmerler. 2005. 

ISBN: 1-932582-41-X 

31. Drug Dealing in Open-Air Markets. Alex Harocopos and Mike 

Hough. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-45-2 

32. Bomb Threats in Schools. Graeme R. Newman. 2005. 

ISBN: 1-932582-46-0 

33. Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places. Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2005. 

ISBN: 1-932582-47-9 

34. Robbery of Taxi Drivers. Martha J. Smith. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-50-9 

35. School Vandalism and Break-Ins. Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2005. 

ISBN: 1-9325802-51-7 

36. Drunk Driving. Michael S. Scott, Nina J. Emerson, Louis B. 

Antonacci, and Joel B. Plant. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-57-6 

37. Juvenile Runaways. Kelly Dedel. 2006. ISBN: 1932582-56-8 

38. The Exploitation of Trafficked Women. Graeme R. Newman. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-59-2 

39. Student Party Riots. Tamara D. Madensen and John E. Eck. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-60-6 

40. People with Mental Illness. Gary Cordner. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-63-0 
Other Guides in This Series 47 

41. Child Pornography on the Internet. Richard Wortley 

and Stephen Smallbone. 2006. ISBN: 1-932582-65-7 

42. Witness Intimidation. Kelly Dedel. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-67-3 

Response Guides series: 

• The Benefits and Consequences of Police 

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

• Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime: Should 

You Go Down This Road? Ronald V. Clarke. 2004. 

ISBN: 1-932582-41-X 

• Crime Prevention Publicity Campaigns. 

Emmanuel Barthe. 2006 ISBN: 1-932582-66-5 

• Shifting and Sharing Responsibility for Public Safety 

Problems. Michael S. Scott and Herman Goldstein. 

2005. ISBN: 1-932582-55-X 

• Video Surveillance of Public Places. Jerry Ratcliffe. 

2006 ISBN: 1-932582-58-4 

Problem-Solving Tools series: 

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory 

Guide for Police Problem-Solvers. John E. Eck. 2002. 

ISBN: 1-932582-19-3 

• Researching a Problem. Ronald V. Clarke and Phyllis A. 

Schultz. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-48-7 

• Using Offender Interviews to Inform Police Problem 

Solving. Scott H. Decker. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-49-5 

• Analyzing Repeat Victimization. Deborah Lamm 

Weisel. 2005. ISBN: 1-932582-54-1 
48 Disorderly Youth in Public Places 

Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides 

Domestic Violence 

Bank Robbery 

Drive-by Shootings 

Disorder at Day Laborer Sites 

Crowd Control at Stadiums and Other Entertainment Venues 

Traffic Congestion Around Schools 

Theft from Construction Sites of Single Family Houses 

Robbery of Convenience Stores 

Theft from Cars on Streets 

Problem-Solving Tools 

Risky Facilities 

Implementing Responses to Problems 

Designing a Problem Analysis System 

Response Guides 

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

For more information about the Problem-Oriented Guides for 

Police series and other COPS Office publications, please call 

the COPS Office 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, DC 20530 

To obtain details on COPS programs, call the 

COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 

Visit COPS Online at the address listed below. 

e07063410 Updated: July 24, 2006 

ISBN: 1-932582-05-3 

www.cops.usdoj.gov