U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

www.cops.usdoj.gov

D i s o r d e r a t D a y 

L a b o r e r S i t e s

by

Rob T. Guerette

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series

No. 44
www.PopCenter.org

Got a Problem? We’ve got answers!

Log onto the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing website 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.

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing
Disorder at Day 

Laborer Sites

Rob T. Guerette

This project was supported by cooperative agreement 

#2004CKWXK002 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. References to specific 

companies, products, or services do not constitute endorsements from 

the author(s) or the Justice Department. Rather, such references are 

used to supplement discussion of the issues.

www.cops.usdoj.gov

ISBN: 1-932582-72-X

October 2006

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series

Guide No. 44

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. 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 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

• 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. 

• 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 
About the Problem-Specific Guides Series iii

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. 

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.
iv Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

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

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

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

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

The Problem Associated With Day Laborer Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

What This Guide Does and Does Not Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

General Description of the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Harms Caused by Disorder at Day Laborer Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Public Disorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Economic Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Spillover Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Day Laborer and Smuggling Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Factors Contributing to Disorder at Day Laborer Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Day Laborer Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Employment Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Day Laborers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Employers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Day Laborer Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Understanding Your Local Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Asking the Right Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Day Laborers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Employers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Merchants and Community Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Locations/Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Human Smuggling Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Current Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Contents vii
viii Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Responses to the Problems Associated With Day Laborer Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

General Principles for an Effective Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Specific Responses To Reduce Disorder at Day Laborer Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Managing Day Laboring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Enforcing Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Responses With Limited Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorder at Day Laborer Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Endnotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
The Problem of Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

The Problem of Disorder at 

Day Laborer Sites

What This Guide Does and Does Not Cover

This guide addresses the problem of disorder at day laborer 

sites. It begins by describing the problem and reviewing 

factors that increase the risks of it. It then identifies a series 

of questions to help you analyze your local problem. Finally, 

it reviews responses to the problem and what is known about 

them from evaluative research and practice. 

Disorder at day laborer sites is but one aspect of the larger 

set of problems related to both public disorder and to illegal 

immigration. This guide is limited to addressing the particular 

harms created by disorder at day laborer sites. Related 

problems—each of which require separate analysis—not 

directly addressed in this guide include:

exploitation of day laborers by contractors who fail to pay 

or pay less than the agreed-to wage

victimization of day laborers by angry citizens

illegal immigration and human smuggling rings

associations with groups engaged in trafficking women for 

prostitution

links with other forms of organized crime, such as drug 

smuggling.

General Description of the Problem

Views related to day laborers vary considerably. Some people 

view them as valuable resources providing cheap labor that 

others will not do. Others see them as illegal immigrants 

and transients who take jobs, commit crimes, and cause 

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Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

community disorder. How communities view day laborers 

largely depends on how intrusive day-laboring activities 

become on citizens’ daily lives. Most communities will be 

ambivalent to day laborers until their presence leads to 

problems, some criminal and some not.1 Community attitudes 

against day laborers may be rooted in anti-immigration views 

more generally. How the community views day laborers and 

illegal immigrants, whether they are critical or sympathetic, 

will affect how any particular community addresses problems 

at day laborer sites. This guide does not adopt any particular 

judgment about illegal immigrants rather it is intended 

to objectively inform you about the effectiveness and 

consequences of various approaches to managing problematic 

behavior at day laboring locations.

Day laborers§ are those who congregate in public places 

seeking manual-labor jobs such as construction, gardening, 

landscaping, and farming.§§ These laborers work daily for 

predetermined wages. The amount of money laborers earn 

varies from market to market and time of year. Day laborer 

sites tend to be concentrated where there is a proliferation of 

construction, manufacturing, farming, and other industries 

dependent on large numbers of relatively unskilled manual 

laborers.

Harms Caused by Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Potential problems associated with day laborer sites center 

mostly on where laborers congregate while waiting for work, 

and not at the workplaces themselves. The following are 

among the many reasons police need to be concerned with 

day laborer activity.

§ Day laborers are sometimes 

referred to as jornaleros or esquineros, 

the former meaning “day worker” 

and the latter meaning “street-corner 

worker.”

§§ Researchers often distinguish 

between informal and formal day labor 

markets. Formal day laborers are 

those who work for temp agencies, 

contracted out on a daily or extended 

basis. This guide focuses on informal 

day laborers.
The Problem of Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Public Disorder

The presence of large numbers of laborers and contractors 

often creates parking and traffic problems.

The constant congregation of laborers in the same place 

for many hours creates loitering problems.

Laborers often leave discarded bottles, food wrappers, and 

other litter at day laborer sites.

Laborers may vandalize area property or deface property 

with graffiti.

Laborers waiting all day for work may urinate in public.

Injuries among laborers related to “swarming” may occur. 

Swarming often occurs when there are many more laborers 

than the contractor needs. Injuries sometimes occur when 

many laborers “swarm” around a contractor’s vehicle, 

hoping to be selected for a job.

Laborers congregating on sidewalks may harass pedestrians.

Crime

Simple and aggravated assaults may take place at day laborer 

sites.

Laborers may be routinely robbed.2

Laborers may drink and sell or use illicit drugs in public.

Economic Concerns

Immigrant day laborers may make it more difficult for 

community residents to find work.

Increased contractors’ reliance on day laborers may 

undercut salary levels and employee benefits for full-time 

workers.

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Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Spillover Effects

The presence of troublesome day laborer sites may incite 

citizens’ frustration and disdain for immigrants. 

Disorderly day laborer sites could lead to increased fear of 

crime among community members.

Uncontrolled day laborer sites in residential areas may affect 

property values.

Day Laborer and Smuggling Links

As most day laborers are illegal immigrants, most have been 

assisted by smugglers. Research indicates that smugglers help 

nine out of 10 immigrants entering the United States across 

the Mexican border.3 Many immigrants use smugglers to help 

them find places to live in the United States, and become 

obligated to them if they cannot afford to pay them up front. 

Thus, some immigrants must work to repay smugglers for 

arranging their transport and housing. It is common for many 

immigrants to live in one house or apartment that is managed 

by the smuggler or someone with ties to the smuggler. These 

residences may be near day labor sites. 

Factors Contributing to Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem 

will help you frame your own local analysis questions, identify 

valid effectiveness measures, determine important intervention 

points, and select an appropriate set of responses for your 

specific problem. The literature on day laborers provides a 

general picture of the market for them, the conditions of 

day-labor work, the laborers themselves, their employers, the 

places where they assemble, and the link between day laborers 

and human smuggling.

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The Problem of Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Day Laborer Markets

Day laboring dates back to at least the medieval times, when 

laborers assembled in daily or weekly markets throughout 

Europe to be hired for farming and herding tasks. In the 

United States, day laboring dates back to the late 1700s, 

when common laborers (many of them immigrants) such as 

chimney sweepers, wood cutters, and cart men sought jobs 

daily. During the mid-1800s, “shape-up” sites in northeastern 

port cities had a system of hiring dockworkers for daily or 

half-day shifts.§

Today’s market for day laborers exists wherever there is a need 

for construction and agricultural workers. The jobs include 

home construction and/or refurbishment, landscaping, 

roofing, painting, and harvesting and other farming activities. 

In some regions, day laborers work in factories on production 

lines. 

For low-skilled or illiterate workers, day labor sites provide 

an easily accessible way to find employment. For employers, 

day labor sites provide easy access to a relatively large pool of 

workers whom they can hire when needed and release when 

not.

Employment Conditions

The specific conditions of day labor employment vary, but 

the arrangement is generally the same regardless of place or 

employer. Day laborers are usually paid in cash at the end 

of each workday. The wages paid to day laborers vary and 

depend on the time of year, the skill of the laborer, and 

the location of the day laborer site. By some estimates, the 

pay can reach $80 to $100 a day, exceeding federal and state 

minimum-wage ceilings.4 However, in markets where there are 

§ For more on the history of 

organized day labor, see Larrowe 

(1955), Mohl (1971), Mund (1948), and 

Valenzuela (2003).
Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

many more laborers than jobs, wages may be bargained lower, 

resulting in pay that is below minimum wage. Employment 

generally lasts from one to three days, is unstable, and 

provides no benefits or worker protections.5 Employers may 

sometimes mistreat day laborers, may not pay them for their 

work, may make them work without regular breaks, and may 

require them to work under hazardous conditions.

Despite the chaotic appearance of day labor sites, the daily 

procedures are relatively structured. Laborers usually gather 

at the site at around 6 a.m., waiting for prospective employers 

to pass by in pickup trucks or vans. As prospective employers 

arrive, groups of laborers crowd around the vehicles pointing 

to themselves and indicating their availability for work. 

Employers select laborers for different reasons, some of 

which include the laborers’ skills and ability to speak English. 

www.judicialwatch.org

Laborers crowd around a vehicle soliciting work. This 

practice is also referred to as “swarming”.
The Problem of Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Often, employers will return to the site and look for men they 

have hired previously. Many laborers wait several hours before 

getting a job. Some laborers do not secure jobs at all and 

usually leave the site in the afternoon. It is common for some 

laborers not to secure work for several days, and periods of 

unemployment lasting several weeks have been reported.6 The 

rate at which the laborer will be paid is often negotiated during 

the selection process, but is sometimes agreed to on the way to 

the jobsite or at the jobsite itself, once the laborer has seen the 

nature of the work. The employer often provides lunch.

Day Laborers

The exact number of day laborers is uncertain; however, 

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that 

approximately 260,000 wait each day on street corners for 

employment.7 In Los Angeles, some 20,000 to 22,000 day 

laborers are estimated to seek work every day.8 Most day 

laborers are male, entered the country illegally, are young, are 

uneducated, and either cannot speak English or have poor 

command of the language.9 Because of their illegal status, they 

largely lack access to formal employment. Most day laborers 

are Hispanic, though this varies somewhat by region. For 

example, in Chicago one study reported that the majority of 

day laborers were African-American.10

Day labor appeals to workers for many reasons. First, day 

laborers are paid in cash at the end of each workday. Getting 

paid daily is beneficial because laborers can use the money 

immediately to pay for food and other needs. Receiving 

payment in cash also eliminates the need to establish a bank 

account. This appeals to illegal immigrants who are wary of 

formal institutions and/or lack the documentation needed to 

establish accounts. Second, payment in cash means that day 
Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

labor work is “under the table” and tax-free. This creates 

further incentives for immigrants who have worked for much 

less in their home countries. Finally, day laborers have the 

power to negotiate their wages for each job. They are free to 

accept or decline a job and to walk off the job site, should 

they choose. This negotiation power allows them to undercut 

the market rate, while at the same time make much more 

money than possible in their homeland.11

Employers

Comparatively little is known about those who employ day 

laborers, but one study found that contractors hire the large 

majority of them. Private employers are the next largest group 

of hirers.12 Employing day laborers is appealing because they 

are easily accessible, are hardworking, can be hired when 

needed, and are cheaper to employ since employers are not 

required to provide benefits packages. Employers often rehire 

the same workers once they have established a relationship 

and the laborers’ work skills are established.
The Problem of Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Day Laborer Sites

Day laborer sites exist mostly in metropolitan areas. Sites 

are often located adjacent to paint stores, plant nurseries, 

truck rental stores, and home improvement or hardware 

stores. Laborers may congregate in the store parking lots, 

marketing themselves for specific types of employment. 

For instance, those in front of paint stores are looking for 

painting jobs, whereas those in front of home improvement 

stores are looking for general construction jobs. It is efficient 

for day laborer sites to be located near such establishments 

because it allows prospective employers to pick up supplies 

and workers all in one stop. However, the congregation of 

large numbers of laborers sometimes causes problems for 

merchants, who might take actions to keep the laborers off 

the premises, thereby displacing them to nearby street corners 

and sidewalks. 

Glendale (California) Police Department

Day laborer sites may also exist in public parks, vacant 

lots, and residential neighborhoods that are easily 

accessible to laborers and/or employers.
10 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Day laborer sites also exist in public parks, vacant lots, and 

residential neighborhoods. These sites may exist for a variety 

of reasons; they are easily accessible to laborers and/or 

employers, have simply been there for many years, or have 

informally been allowed to exist by community members. 

Municipalities, church groups, and other community-based 

organizations have established a smaller number of day 

laborer sites to help deal with the large numbers of day 

laborers. These sites are usually regulated and pose the fewest 

problems for the community.
Understanding Your Local Problem 11

Understanding Your Local Problem

The information provided above is only a generalized 

description of day laborers and the circumstances of their 

existence. 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.

Stakeholders

In addition to criminal justice agencies, the following groups 

have an interest in the disorder at day laborer sites problem 

and ought to be considered for the contribution they might 

make to gathering information about the problem and 

responding to it:

area residents

area businesses

local government agencies (e.g., employment relations, 

public works, traffic engineering, city or county attorney, 

and community and economic development)

state government labor/employment relations agencies

religious and charitable organizations serving the day 

laborer population

immigrant and human rights groups

employers of day laborers such as contractors and 

landscaping companies

area building and landscaping supply companies

day laborers themselves.

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12 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

Asking the Right Questions

The following are some critical questions you should ask in 

analyzing your particular day laborer-site 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. 

Day Laborers

What do you know about the day laborers (e.g., age, gender, 

ethnicity, immigration status, language ability, criminal 

history, residence)?

How do employers treat day laborers?

Are citizens victimizing day laborers?

How committed are day laborers to using a particular day 

laborer site?

How committed are day laborers to day laboring?

Employers

What do you know about those who employ day laborers 

(e.g., type of work, contractor, private citizen, company)?

How committed are employers to using day labor?

How committed are employers to hiring day laborers at the 

current location?

What problems have employers had in using day laborers?

Merchants and Community Members

How concerned about day labor sites are merchants and 

community members?

What are their complaints about day laborers or about the 

sites?

What actions, if any, have they taken in response to 

problems at day labor sites?

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
Understanding Your Local Problem 13

Locations/Times

Where are day labor sites located? What makes the sites 

attractive?

Which day labor sites have routine problems? Which do 

not? Why?

When do problems at day labor sites occur?

Which area merchants do the day-labor sites harm?

Which area merchants benefit from the day labor sites?

How do the day labor sites appear (e.g., trash and/or 

graffiti present)?

How long have the day labor sites been there?

Are the day labor sites located in safe or in high-crime 

areas?

What are the vehicle and pedestrian traffic conditions at the 

day labor sites?

Human Smuggling Links

Are day labor sites located near residences where large 

numbers of laborers live?

Do day laborers owe money to smugglers?

Current Responses

What is the police department’s current policy in dealing 

with problems associated with day laborer sites?

What is the police department’s current policy in dealing 

with illegal immigrants?

What responses do police officers use regarding problems 

associated with day laborers, other than arrest and 

prosecution? Are any especially effective?

What are community and church groups doing in regard to 

day laborers and/or immigrants?

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
14 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

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 problems associated with day 

laborers:

reduced number of citizen complaints about day laborers

reduced reports of violence

reduced reports of robberies

reduced traffic congestion around day laborer sites

less evidence of trash and litter

fewer injuries among day laborers

fewer observations of drug and alcohol use

improved perceptions of order among area merchants and 

residents.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•
Responses to the Problems Associated with Day Laborer Sites 15

Responses to the Problems Associated 

With Day Laborer Sites

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 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. The responsibility of responding, in some 

cases, may need to be shifted toward those who have the 

capacity to implement more effective responses. (For more 

detailed information on shifting and sharing responsibility, 

see Response Guide No. 3, Shifting and Sharing Responsibility for 

Public Safety Problems).

General Principles for an Effective Strategy

You should consider a few general principles when developing 

your response strategy. Which particular responses you adopt 

should depend on what you learn from a careful analysis of 

your local problem. This should include an understanding of 

your community’s attitudes toward day laborers and illegal 

immigrants. In places where there are strong anti-illegal 
16 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

immigrant sentiments, perceptions of police aiding day 

laborers could lead to citizen backlash against the agency. 

Conversely, arresting day laborers and other enforcement 

tactics may lead to resentment of police by citizens in 

communities that are sympathetic to illegal immigrants. In 

either case, community perceptions will have to be considered 

in formulating your response.

Strategies that focus exclusively on arresting day laborers or 

enforcing immigration laws are unlikely to be effective in the 

long term.13 Strategies that seek to reduce the harms caused 

by day laborer sites rather than those that seek to eliminate 

day laboring altogether are more likely to work. An effective 

strategy should not only deter problems associated with day 

laborer sites, but also must provide an appropriate location 

and manner in which to carry out day laboring. This will entail 

sanctioning prohibited behaviors and encouraging agreed-to 

procedures for soliciting day-labor work. This might include 

establishing a designated location and creating rules. It 

usually requires cooperation among police, other government 

agencies, community service groups, local merchants, 

employers, and day laborers themselves.

Specific Responses to Reduce Disorder at Day Laborer 

Sites

Managing Day Laboring

1. Improving the organization at current day laborer 

sites. Problems stemming from day laboring may not require 

new day-laboring sites; rather, better management of the ones 

that exist may be the solution. Creating and posting rules 

and procedures for laborers and employers to follow, placing 

trash containers and portable or permanent restrooms at the 

site, and so on, will reduce some of the associated problems. 
Enlisting managers to oversee the area will also reduce 

problems. These managers can be government employees, 

police officers, citizen volunteers, or community service 

groups.

2. Imposing time restrictions on day labor activities.

Some communities have implemented time restrictions on 

when day laborers are allowed to solicit work.14 Allotting 

certain times of the day enables police to manage the process 

without having to devote substantial manpower to additional 

hours. It also reduces problems associated with laborers who 

linger around the site throughout the day. Time restrictions 

can be permanent or temporary, until a new day labor center 

is constructed.

3. Establishing new day labor centers. Many communities 

have established new day labor centers.15 The advantage of 

this approach is that the center can be constructed from the 

beginning and designed to eliminate the problems found at 

the day labor site. A suitable location can be selected and 

the facility can be built to accommodate day labor activity 

efficiently. The disadvantages are that it will require more 

funding and time spent getting it approved and built. It 

will also require other measures to ensure that laborers and 

employers actually use the center. The site can be either 

managed or unmanaged. Managed sites will be more orderly 

and have fewer problems.16

3a. Using volunteers to manage day labor centers. Using 

volunteers to manage day labor centers can help to reduce 

costs. Volunteers can include area residents and merchants, 

and religious or other community groups. In some places, 

day laborers themselves volunteer to help run the centers.17 

However, volunteers alone are insufficient to manage the site. 

The center will need ongoing police oversight and support.

Responses to the Problems Associated with Day Laborer Sites 17
3b. Soliciting help from area merchants. Area merchants 

can help in establishing day labor centers. They can provide 

material and financial assistance in building the centers. For 

instance, in Glendale, California, an affected Home Depot 

donated building supplies for a new center. Merchants can 

also prove instrumental in working with police to ensure 

compliance among employers and laborers with newly 

adopted ordinances and procedures. Lastly, merchants 

can be enlisted to help in the ongoing management and 

administration of day labor centers.

3c. Obtaining grants and other financial support.

Some communities have received city and private funding 

to build day labor centers. Community Development Block 

Grants have also been awarded.18 Other communities 

have established city- and privately-funded nonprofit 

organizations.19 To do this, it will be necessary to estimate 

how much funding will be required, and to identify entities 

with an interest in establishing and maintaining an orderly 

day laborer center. Because illegal immigration is politically 

sensitive, obtaining public funds to manage them may be 

difficult. You may be more successful obtaining financial 

support from non-governmental entities.

3d. Creating and enforcing rules and procedures at day 

labor centers and sites. Part of managing day labor centers 

involves establishing rules of conduct and procedures for 

laborers and employers to follow. In some communities, this 

has been a collective process where laborers and employers 

help to create the rules and procedures. This democratic 

process should ensure acceptance by the participants and will 

facilitate successful self-policing among them. The rules and 

procedures should, at a minimum, include the following:

prohibitions against drinking, drug use, and gambling

prohibitions against swarming

prohibitions against violence

•

•

•

18 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites
prohibitions against public urination and littering

proper procedures for soliciting employers and laborers§

provisions that ensure employers treat laborers fairly (e.g., 

pay laborers at the agreed-to price and provide breaks).

In addition to setting rules and procedures, sanctions will also 

be required to deter violations. Conditions could be attached 

to the prohibitive behaviors, such that those who violate 

the rules are temporarily banned from the center or site, in 

addition to arrest if the behavior is criminal. Allowing day 

laborers and employers to help in determining sanctions will 

promote acceptance and self-policing.

3e. Forming an advisory committee. Forming an 

advisory committee to oversee the day labor center can 

help ensure that it runs efficiently, and can also increase the 

center’s support base. People from many different groups 

and organizations should serve on the committee. Advisors 

might include employees from government social-service 

offices, police officers, area merchants, citizens, employers 

of day laborers, day laborers themselves, and members of 

nongovernmental community-service groups.

4. Establishing supplemental programs at day labor 

centers. Some communities have implemented service, 

education, and training programs at day labor centers.20 These 

programs provide needed services for day laborers and give 

them added incentives to use the centers. Participation in 

the supplementary programs also gives laborers constructive 

ways to spend their time while they are waiting for work. 

Educational and training programs include English language 

instruction, computer skills classes, and job preparation 

programs. Service programs include those for food, clothing, 

•

•

• § Examples of this include 

establishing specified zones where 

laborers and employers are allowed 

to solicit, creating a single-file roster 

system of laborers available for hire, 

and designating specific areas for 

various laborer skills (e.g., one area 

for construction workers and another 

for landscapers). See Calderon, 

Foster, and Rodriguez (n.d.); Ruiz 

(1998); and Toma and Esbenshade 

(2001).

Responses to the Problems Associated with Day Laborer Sites 19
and shelter assistance; immigration services; legal services; 

banking services;§ tool-sharing; and health care referrals. 

Establishing services and programs from outside groups—

government or others—will also give outsiders incentives to 

manage and maintain the centers.

5. Closing streets and alleys, diverting traffic, or 

regulating parking. Traffic flows and patterns at day 

laborer sites often pose problems. Altering traffic patterns 

will make it easy for employers to pick up laborers, and will 

reduce complaints associated with vehicle and pedestrian 

traffic obstructions. Establishing designated laborer-pickup 

zones will also reduce congestion and “swarming” problems. 

Once traffic procedures are established, it will be necessary 

to ensure that laborers do not interrupt the process by 

approaching employer vehicles outside of designated pickup 

areas. Care should also be taken to ensure that any traffic 

changes do not cause undue harm to area merchants.

Enforcing Laws

6. Enforcing laws prohibiting disorder (e.g., trespassing, 

loitering, public intoxication, littering, and vandalism).

Focused enforcement of disorder-related offenses will address 

some of the commonly found problems associated with day 

laborer sites. Enforcing these laws requires greater manpower 

and time spent monitoring the sites. Enforcement alone will 

not completely stop day laboring or the problems associated 

with it, but it does send a message to laborers that illegal 

behavior is unacceptable. Sanctions for lower-level offenses 

may also serve to remove those problematic laborers who 

might also commit more-serious crimes.

§ Establishing services to facilitate 

laborers use of banking services will 

be particularly relevant for problems 

involving persistent robbery of day 

laborers.

20 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites
7. Enforcing laws prohibiting assault and robbery.

Enforcing laws against assault and robbery will further 

define the boundaries of unacceptable behavior for day 

laborers. Such offenses will tend to be reactive and will 

require witnesses for successful prosecution, unless an officer 

witnesses their occurrence. It will be difficult to develop a 

prosecutable case since other laborers will be reluctant to give 

police information out of fear regarding their immigration 

status. Language deficiencies will also create problems. To 

increase success in enforcing these (and other) laws, assigning 

specific multilingual officers to day labor sites will improve 

communication between police and laborers, which will prove 

valuable in gathering information.

8. Establishing a highly visible police presence. A highly 

visible police presence, typically with extra uniformed officers, 

is intended to discourage illegal conduct by day laborers. It 

may appease area merchants or community members, but 

could also lead people to believe that the area is unsafe. It 

is also costly and will likely have only a temporary effect if 

not followed up with more permanent strategies, such as 

establishing a police substation in the area.21 This could be 

augmented with private security forces.

9. Creating and enforcing ordinances prohibiting the 

solicitation of work in non-designated places. Some 

communities have created city ordinances that prohibit the 

solicitation of work in certain areas.22 These ordinances 

are intended to relocate day laboring to designated places. 

Unless the ordinances are enforced, day laboring will 

continue to occur in places that are convenient for laborers 

and employers, if not for others, even if an authorized day 

labor center is established. Ordinance enforcement must be 

comprehensive and continual.

Responses to the Problems Associated with Day Laborer Sites 21
10. Enhancing fines/penalties for soliciting work 

or hiring workers in non-specified zones. It may be 

necessary to enhance the penalties incurred for violating work 

solicitation in non-designated places. Small fines will likely be 

viewed as an added cost of doing business. Greater fines will 

compel day laborers and employers to use designated zones.

11. Initiating public-awareness campaigns. In 

conjunction with creating non-solicitation ordinances, some 

communities have used publicity campaigns to inform day 

laborers and employers of the new procedures, and to warn 

them about the sanctions if they violate the ordinances.23 

Alerting the participants serves to remove possible excuses for 

violating the ordinances. 

Police and others can distribute fliers and post signs at current 

day-laborer sites. Community service groups as well as area 

merchants and residents can also disseminate information. 

The postings and handouts should be composed in the 

intended audience’s native language. Proper notification of the 

new ordinances will reduce negative sentiment resulting from 

subsequent enforcement. 

Responses With Limited Effectiveness

12. Conducting sweeps and enforcing immigration 

laws. Sweeps are large-scale arrest campaigns targeting 

suspected illegal immigrants at day labor sites, without the 

intent to prosecute. Sweeps have long been a police strategy 

to control visible crime problems (such as street prostitution 

and street drug markets) when they have been pressured to 

do something, but have few resources for dealing with the 

problem. There is little evidence that illegal-immigration 

sweeps are anything other than temporarily effective at solving 

the problem.

22 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites
Police agencies should be aware that enforcing immigration 

laws could lead to distrust of the police by illegal immigrants 

in the community. This could deter such immigrants from 

calling for police help when they are legitimately victimized or 

otherwise in need.

13. Prohibiting day laboring outright. There is no 

evidence that prohibiting day laboring outright is effective 

in the long term. Day laboring serves a need in the informal 

labor market and has existed since early times. De facto 

prohibition of day laboring by creating ordinances against 

soliciting work on public street corners citywide may relocate 

day laboring to other places, but it will not eliminate it or 

associated problems.

Responses to the Problems Associated with Day Laborer Sites 23

Appendix: A 25

Appendix: Summary of Responses to 

Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

The table below summarizes the responses to problems 

associated with day laborers, 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.

1.

2.

16

17

Improving the 

organization 

at current day 

laborer sites

Imposing time 

restrictions 

on day labor 

activities

Promotes orderly 

and lawful 

behavior and 

establishes site 

controls

Reduces the 

opportunities for 

problem behavior 

to occur

...the organization 

is efficient and 

addresses laborers' 

and employers' 

needs

...time restrictions 

are enforced 

and the sites are 

managed during 

designated times

Assumes current 

sites are acceptable 

to area residents 

and merchants 

and land use is 

permitted

Can be temporary 

until a day laborer 

center is built, or it 

can be permanent; 

requires routine 

police presence

Response 

No.

Page No. Response How It 

Works

Works 

Best If...

Considerations

Managing Day Laboring

Appendix 25
26 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

3.

3a.

3b.

3c.

3d.

3e.

17

17

18

18

18

19

Establishing new 

day labor centers 

Using volunteers 

to manage day 

labor centers

Soliciting help 

from area 

merchants

Obtaining 

grants and other 

financial support

Creating and 

enforcing rules 

and procedures at 

day labor centers 

and sites

Forming 

an advisory 

committee

Organizes and 

controls the 

location and 

process of day 

laboring

Ensures day labor 

centers run and 

are maintained 

properly, and 

provides capable 

guardianship

Increases 

ownership of the 

problem

Eliminates the 

need for tax 

dollars

Formalizes the 

day- laboring 

process, increases 

efficiency, and 

sets boundaries

Ensures center 

is maintained 

and increases 

ownership

...the design 

is efficient and 

other measures 

are taken to 

ensure it is used

...volunteers are 

sampled from a 

variety of groups 

to increase the 

"ownership" of 

the centers

...merchants 

have a vested 

interest in 

addressing the 

problem

...a detailed and 

compelling case 

is provided for 

the needed funds

...rules are 

clearly defined 

and posted, 

and laborers 

and employers 

participate in 

formulating them

...advisors have 

an interest in and 

can contribute 

to the center’s 

success

Expensive; timeconsuming; 

requires ongoing 

oversight and 

management

Reduces cost; will 

need continued 

governance by 

someone or some 

entity

Amount of help 

will vary across 

merchants

Use examples of 

successful day 

labor sites; takes 

time and effort to 

prepare proposals

Requires day 

laborer and 

employer input; will 

require establishing 

sanctions for 

violations

Select advisors 

from various 

groups or 

organizations; 

consider incentives 

for participation

Response 

No.

Page No. Response How It 

Works

Works 

Best If...

Considerations

Managing Day Laboring
Appendix 27

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

19

20

20

21

21

21

Establishing 

supplemental 

programs at day 

labor centers

Closing streets 

and alleys, 

diverting traffic, 

or regulating 

parking

Enforcing laws 

prohibiting 

disorder (e.g. 

trespassing, 

loitering, public 

intoxication, 

littering, and 

vandalism)

Enforcing laws 

prohibiting assault 

and robbery

Establishing a 

highly visible 

police presence

Creating and 

enforcing 

ordinances 

prohibiting the 

solicitation of 

work in nondesignated places

Encourages 

law-abiding 

behavior and 

provides access to 

legitimate services

Decreases traffic 

congestion 

and increases 

employers’ ability 

to find and 

negotiate with 

laborers

Temporarily 

establishes order 

at day labor sites

Temporarily 

establishes order 

at day labor sites, 

and establishes 

police control of 

the area(s)

Discourages 

unruly or 

unlawful behavior 

among day 

laborers

Displaces day 

labor activities to 

designated sites

...the provided 

services meet the 

laborers’ needs

...the affected 

community 

supports the 

changes

...enforcement 

is combined with 

other effective 

responses

...a prosecution 

will result in 

meaningful 

sanctions

...it is 

supplemented 

with 

environmental 

changes or site 

relocation 

...enforcement 

is consistent, and 

the designated 

sites are useful 

and efficient 

for laborers and 

employers

Increased costs; 

requires additional 

space at the centers

Potentially costly; 

can harm legitimate 

commercial traffic; 

may lock the 

problem in rather 

than forcing it out

Has only a shortterm impact; may 

displace day labor 

practice to other 

areas

Will be difficult to 

obtain witnesses for 

a prosecutable case

Labor-intensive; 

may create the 

perception that the 

area is unsafe

Requires adoption 

by the city council; 

takes time and may 

not pass due to 

legal concerns

Response 

No.

Page No. Response How It 

Works

Works 

Best If...

Considerations

Enforcing Laws
28 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

10.

11.

12.

13.

22

22

22

23

Enhancing fines/

penalties for 

soliciting work 

or hiring workers 

in non-specified 

zones

Initiating publicawareness 

campaigns

Conducting 

sweeps and 

enforcing 

immigration laws

Prohibiting day 

laboring outright

Increases the 

incentive to use 

designated day 

labor sites

Informs the 

community of 

new rules for daylaboring activities 

and encourages 

compliance

Temporarily 

removes illegalimmigrant laborers 

from the area

Seeks to eliminate 

day labor sites and 

activities citywide

...the fines are 

high enough 

and collection is 

certain

...police follow 

through with 

enforcing the 

rules and changes 

are made at 

designated day 

labor sites

New informal day 

labor sites may 

emerge in other 

places convenient 

for laborers and 

employers

Proper 

dissemination will 

reduce contempt 

for police when 

they enforce the 

law; widespread 

community 

awareness may 

encourage antiimmigrant views

Produces distrust 

of the police by 

illegal immigrants 

throughout the 

community

Ineffective as a 

long-term solution; 

could displace day 

laboring

Response 

No.

Page No. Response How It 

Works

Works 

Best If...

Considerations

Responses With Limited Effectiveness
Endnotes 29

Endnotes

1

 Cooper (1999); Bradley (2005); Gorman (2005).

2

 Stamford (Connecticut) Police Department (2000).

3

 Reyes, Johnson, and Swearingen (2002).

4

 Cooper (1999); Cleeland (1999); Valenzuela (2000b).

5

 Valenzuela (1999).

6

 Peck and Theodore (2001); Kerr and Dole (2001); Valenzuela (2003, 2001).

7

 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2001).

8

 Valenzuela (2003).

9

 Cosgrove and Grant (1997); Valenzuela and Melendez (2003); Valenzuela (2003, 

2000b).

10 Theodore (2000).

11 Valenzuela (2000b).

12 Valenzuela and Melendez (2003).

13 Toma and Esbenshade (2001).

14 Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department (1995)

15 Calderon (2003); Calderon, Foster, and Rodriguez (n.d.); Montgomery County 

(Maryland) Police Department (1995); Ruiz (1998); Toma and Esbenshade 

(2001); Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department (2004).

16 Toma and Esbenshade (2001); Valenzuela (2000a).

17 Glendale (California) Police Department (1997); Ruiz (1998).

18 Glendale (California) Police Department (1997); Ruiz (1998).

19 Calderon (2003).

20 Calderon (2003); Glendale (California) Police Department (1997); Gorman 

(2005); Ruiz (1998); Toma and Esbenshade (2001).

21 Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department (1995).

22 Glendale (California) Police Department (1997); Ruiz (1998).

23 Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department (1995); Glendale (California) 

Police Department (1997); Ruiz (1998). 

References 31

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calderon.pdf.

Cleeland, N. (1999). “Many Day Laborers Prefer Their Work 

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Cooper, M. (1999). “Laborers Wanted, but Not Living Next 

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Project.” Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for 

Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
32 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

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Ruiz, J. (1998). “Day Laborers and Community All Benefit 

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References 33

Stamford Police Department (2000). “Mobile ATM 

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Theodore, N. (2000). A Fair Day’s Pay? Homeless Day Laborers 

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Toma, R., and J. Esbenshade (2001). Day Laborer Hiring Sites: 

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Valenzuela, A., Jr. (2003). “Day Labor Work.” Annual Review 

of Sociology 29(1):307–333.

——— (2001). “Day Laborers as Entrepreneurs?” Journal of 

Ethnic and Migration Studies 27(2):335–352.

——— (2000a). “Controlling Day Labor: Government, 

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Angeles: UCLA Anderson Business Forecast, School of 

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——— (2000b). “Working on the Margins: Immigrant Day 

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Working Paper No. 22. La Jolla (California): Center for 

Comparative Immigration Studies, University of California 

at San Diego.
34 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

——— (1999). “Day Laborers in Southern California: 

Preliminary Findings From the Day Labor Survey.” 

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Poverty, Institute of Social Science Research, University of 

California, Los Angeles.

Valenzuela, A., Jr. and E. Melendez (2003). “Day Labor in 

New York: Findings From the NYDL Survey.” Working 

Paper. Los Angeles: Center for the Study of Urban 

Poverty, Institute of Social Science Research, University 

of California at Los Angeles; and New York: Community 

Development Research Center, Milano Graduate School of 

Management and Urban Policy, New School University. 
About the Author 35

About the Author

Rob T. Guerette

Rob T. Guerette is an assistant professor in the School 

of Criminal Justice at Florida International University in 

Miami. Together with Ronald Clarke, he recently worked on 

a project with the U.S. Border Patrol that used a situational 

crime-prevention framework to formulate ways to prevent 

deaths among smuggled migrants along the Mexican border. 

In addition, he has worked on projects in collaboration with 

the National Academy of Sciences, the British Home Office 

Research Directorate, and the New Jersey Department of 

Probation and Parole. His research has appeared in the 

Journal of Criminal Justice, Security Journal, Crime Prevention Studies, 

and the European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. He is 

co-editor of the book Migration, Culture Conflict, Crime, and 

Terrorism (Ashgate Publishing 2006). He currently coordinates 

the annual Herman Goldstein Awards for Excellence in 

Problem-Oriented Policing. Guerette holds a doctorate in 

criminal justice from Rutgers University at Newark, and was a 

fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University 

at New Brunswick.

Recommended Readings 37

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.
38 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

• 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 39

• 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.
40 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

• 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 41

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
42 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

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. Glensor 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
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 43

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

ISBN: 1-932582-63-0

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

43. Burglary at Single-Family House Construction 

Sites. Rachel Boba and Roberto Santos. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-00-2

44. Disorder at Day Laborer Sites. Rob Guerette. 2006. 

ISBN: 1-932582-72-X

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
44 Disorder at Day Laborer Sites

• 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

Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides

Abandoned Vehicles

Bank Robbery

Bicycle Theft

Drive-By Shootings

Crowd Control at Stadiums and Other Entertainment Venues

Child Abuse

Crime and Disorder in Parks

Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities

Robbery of Convenience Stores

Traffic Congestion Around Schools

Transient Encampments

Thefts of and From Cars on Residential Streets and 

Driveways

Problem-Solving Tools

Designing a Problem Analysis System

Displacement

Implementing Responses to Problems

Understanding Risky Facilities

Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in 

Problem Solving

Partnering with Community Developers to Address Public 

Safety Problems
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 45

Response Guides

Enhancing Lighting

Sting Operations

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. 


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.

e09061311 January 2007

ISBN: 1-932582-72-X