U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

www.cops.usdoj.gov

Disorder at Budget

Motels

by Karin Schmerler

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series No. 30
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

• On-line access to research and police practices

• On-line 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 Budget

Motels

Karin Schmerler

This project was supported by cooperative agreement

#2002CKWX0003 by the Office of Community Oriented Policing

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

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

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

www.cops.usdoj.gov

ISBN: 1-932582-41-X

January 2005

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series

Guide No. 30

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. The

guides are written for police–of whatever rank or

assignment–who must address the specific problem the

guides cover. The guides will be most useful to officers

who

• Understand basic problem-oriented policing

principles and methods. The guides are not primers in

problem-oriented policing. They deal only briefly with

the initial decision to focus on a particular problem,

methods to analyze the problem, and means to assess

the results of a problem-oriented policing project. They

are designed to help police decide how best to analyze

and address a problem they have already identified. (An

assessment guide has been produced as a companion to

this series and the COPS Office has also published an

introductory guide to problem analysis. For those who

want to learn more about the principles and methods of

problem-oriented policing, the assessment and analysis

guides, along with other recommended readings, are

listed at the back of this guide.)

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

complexity of the problem, you should be prepared to

spend perhaps weeks, or even months, analyzing and

responding to it. Carefully studying a problem before

responding helps you design the right strategy, one that

is most likely to work in your community. You should

not blindly adopt the responses others have used; you

must decide whether they are appropriate to your local

situation. What is true in one place may not be true
ii Disorder at Budget Motels

elsewhere; what works in one place may not work

everywhere.

• Are willing to consider new ways of doing police

business. The guides describe responses that other

police departments have used or that researchers have

tested. While not all of these responses will be

appropriate to your particular problem, they should help

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

You may think you cannot implement some of these

responses in your jurisdiction, but perhaps you can. In

many places, when police have discovered a more

effective response, they have succeeded in having laws

and policies changed, improving the response to the

problem.

• Understand the value and the limits of research

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

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

is available. Accordingly, some guides in this series

summarize existing research whereas other guides illustrate

the need for more research on that particular problem.

Regardless, research has not provided definitive answers to

all the questions you might have about the problem. The

research may help get you started in designing your own

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

will depend greatly on the particular nature of your local

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

every piece of relevant research has been cited, nor has

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

would have overwhelmed and distracted the reader. The

references listed at the end of each guide are those drawn

on most heavily; they are not a complete bibliography of

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

• Are willing to work with other community agencies

to find effective solutions to the problem. The police

alone cannot implement many of the responses

discussed in the guides. They must frequently implement

them in partnership with other responsible private and

public entities. An effective problem-solver must know

how to forge genuine partnerships with others and be

prepared to invest considerable effort in making these

partnerships work.

These guides have drawn on research findings and police

practices in the United States, the United Kingdom,

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and

Scandinavia. Even though laws, customs and police

practices vary from country to country, it is apparent that

the police everywhere experience common problems. In a

world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is

important that police be aware of research and successful

practices beyond the borders of their own countries.

The COPS Office and the authors encourage you to

provide feedback on this guide and to report on your own

agency's experiences dealing with a similar problem. Your

agency may have effectively addressed a problem using

responses not considered in these guides and your

experiences and knowledge could benefit others. This

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

to provide feedback and share your experiences it should

be sent via e-mail to cops_pubs@usdoj.gov.
iv Disorder at Budget Motels

For more information about problem-oriented policing,

visit the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing online at

www.popcenter.org or via the COPS website at

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

• the Problem-Specific Guides series,

• the companion Response Guides and Problem-Solving Tools

series,

• instructional information about problem-oriented policing

and related topics,

• an interactive training exercise,

• online access to important police research and practices,

and

• on-line problem analysis module.
Acknowledgments v

Acknowledgments

The Problem-Oriented Guides for Police are very much a

collaborative effort. While each guide has a primary

author, other project team members, COPS Office staff

and anonymous peer reviewers contributed to each guide

by proposing text, recommending research and offering

suggestions on matters of format and style.

The principal project team developing the guide series

comprised Herman Goldstein, professor emeritus,

University of Wisconsin Law School; Ronald V. Clarke,

professor of criminal justice, Rutgers University; John E.

Eck, professor of criminal justice, University of

Cincinnati; Michael S. Scott, clinical assistant professor,

University of Wisconsin Law School; Rana Sampson,

police consultant, San Diego; and Deborah Lamm Weisel,

director of police research, North Carolina State

University.

Karin Schmerler, Rita Varano, Nancy Leach and Cynthia

Pappas oversaw the project for the COPS Office. Suzanne

Fregly edited the guide. Research for the guides was

conducted at the Criminal Justice Library at Rutgers

University under the direction of Phyllis Schultze.

The project team also wishes to acknowledge the members

of the San Diego, National City and Savannah police

departments who provided feedback on the guides' format

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

line police officers, police executives and researchers who

peer reviewed each guide.
vi Disorder at Budget Motels

The author also acknowledges the support and assistance

of members of the Chula Vista (California) Police

Department in developing this guide: Chief Rick

Emerson; Administrative Services Manager Ed Chew;

Lieutenants Don Hunter and Roxana Kennedy; Sergeants

David Eisenberg and Bruce Theisen; Agents Mark Jones,

Tony Puyot, and Rusty Rea; and Officers Scott Schneider,

David Edwards, Brandi King, David Oyos, Chris Penwell,

and Wayne Wooten.
Contents

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

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

The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Factors Contributing to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Motel Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Motel Layout and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Motel Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Motel Clientele . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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

Asking the Right Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Calls for Service and Crime Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Motel Management Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Property Condition and Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Current Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

General Principles for an Effective Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Managing Problem Guests and Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Changing the Physical Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners and Managers for 

Maintaining Safe Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Responses With Limited Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Contents vii
viii Disorder at Budget Motels

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 1

The Problem of Disorder at Budget

Motels

This guide begins by describing the problem of disorder at

budget motels, and reviewing factors that contribute to 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 police practice.

A wide variety of problems occur at budget motels,

including

• disturbances,††

• domestic violence,

• theft,

• auto theft and theft from autos,†††

• public drinking,

• vandalism,

• prostitution,

• drug dealing and use,

• fights,

• clandestine drug-lab operations,††††

• sexual assault, and

• robbery.

Many of these problems can be reduced through better

motel management, design, and regulation.

† Temporary overnight lodging falls

into two general categories: motels

and hotels. At motels, guests

(registered room occupants) and

visitors (people who enter the

grounds but are not registered

guests) can directly access rooms

without having to enter the motel

lobby or main building. At hotels,

guests and visitors must pass

through the front lobby or enter the

building through an outside door

and an interior corridor to get to the

rooms.

†† An analysis of motel calls for

service in Chula Vista, California,

found that the most typical citizen

call was about a disturbance of

some sort. A significant portion

involved guests who wouldn't leave

or pay (Morris 2003).

††† For further information, see

Thefts of and From Cars in Parking

Facilities, Guide No. 10 in this series.

†††† For further information, see

Clandestine Drug Labs, Guide No. 16

in this series.
2 Disorder at Budget Motels

In a number of communities, certain motels generate

significant numbers of service calls and consume

inordinate levels of police resources. Problem motels are

frequently hot spots for both nuisance activity and more

serious incidents, such as robbery and sexual assault. In

addition, problem motels inhibit nearby economic

redevelopment1 and reduce the number of safe, clean

lodging units available for tourists and travelers.

Factors Contributing to Disorder at Budget Motels

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.

The very nature of overnight lodging makes it conducive

to crime and disorder. Motels and hotels house people

only temporarily, often in commercial areas with high

crime rates. Because budget motels offer low rates, accept

cash, and often have a relatively unrestricted environment,

local residents with illicit or antisocial intentions find them

particularly attractive. Drug sales, prostitution, loud

parties, and other activities can often be undertaken at

motels with less risk than at private residences. Motel

guests have little motivation to report drug dealing and

prostitution because they have no long-term stake in the

motel. In addition, motel managers often have a limited

opportunity to get to know the backgrounds of the people

on their premises. Finally, in municipalities that lack the

resources to provide motel oversight, motel managers have

little incentive to accept responsibility for problems.
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 3

Motels attract crime, in that people inclined to commit it†

are drawn to them because their conditions and

reputations are favorable for doing so.2 Poorly managed

motels also enable crime by attracting offenders to a

location with weak oversight.3

Motel Economics

In 2002, the lodging industry posted revenues of more

than $102 billion.4

In general, lodging establishments that charge nightly rates

of less than $60 fall under the budget category. However,

both the price and the amenities at budget motels can vary

greatly.†† Room rates–even for the same motel chain–differ

significantly by location, season, and day of week. The

upscale budget motels (which account for 25 percent of

all U.S. lodging units) are typically chain motels, some of

which cater to business travelers and tourists and offer

fitness centers, complimentary breakfasts, and premium

movie channels. Low-end budget motels (13 percent of all

U.S. lodging) are typically independent properties that

charge $20 to $45 per night, and may not offer any

amenities except for cable movies.

While some low-end motels offer safe, clean lodging (and

some high-end motels do not), low-end motels are more

likely to experience crime and disorder problems. A study

of Chula Vista motels by California State University, San

Bernardino (CSUSB), found that low room rates were

strongly correlated with higher call-for-service rates.6

Compared with motels that charged from $41 to $60 a

night, those that charged $40 or less per night had twice

the number of service calls per room, and more than twoand-a-half times the number of arrests per room.7

† In Chula Vista, an estimated 21

percent of guests and visitors at

several problem motels were on

probation or parole, compared with

less than 2 percent of California's

overall adult population (Theisen

2002a).

†† Some motels in the rural

Southwest have nightly rates of less

than $20; in these markets, motels

with nightly rates of $35 are highend. In contrast, low-end budget

motels in major metropolitan areas

generally charge between $30 and

$45 a night, and high-end budget

motels may charge up to $80 a night.

The rates quoted in this guide do

not apply to all motels, but are

included to give you a general idea

of the cost of budget lodging.
4 Disorder at Budget Motels

Cheap motels did not always pose crime and disorder

problems. In the 1930s and 1940s, individually owned and

operated motels offered travelers an eclectic, economical

array of relatively safe lodging options. In the 1950s,

corporations such as Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson

sought to capitalize on the growing national travel market

by offering consumers brand-name, standardized lodging.

The interstate highways built in the 1950s and 1960s

favored the chains by essentially rerouting motorists away

from the older, independent establishments, many of

which were located along aging roads that ran parallel to–

but were difficult to access from–the new interstates.8 In

some cases, major motel chains built their properties right

at the interstate exits; motorists seeking independent

motels had to bypass the chains and venture farther from

the interstate to find them.

In an effort to attract customers, older motels such as

this urban Arizona establishment offer rock-bottom

prices for longer term guests, essentially creating lowincome housing.

Steve Morris
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 5

The smaller, non-chain motels had difficulty competing

with the large national chains under these circumstances.

To survive economically, they began catering to the lower

end of the market; some turned into adult motels,† while

others served as housing for low-income people. Unable

to afford upkeep, many of the formerly quaint motels

deteriorated and became havens for crime and disorder.††

Unsightly and crime-prone motels can inhibit economic

growth in the surrounding areas.

Motel Layout and Features

Originally built to accommodate the adventurous traveler

of the 1930s and 1940s, motels were marketed as driverfriendly-motorists could drive right up to their rooms. 9,†††

Ironically, what was originally a selling point is now one of

the most detrimental aspects of motels, from a crime

prevention standpoint. Direct access to rooms allows

problem guests and visitors to come and go without being

seen by motel personnel. Regardless of size,†††† motels with

unimpeded pedestrian and vehicle access to rooms can be

difficult to manage, and may have a relatively high number

of service calls if they serve a risky clientele.

Motel Personnel

Unlike hotels, many motels have a small staff. In some

cases, the same individual who owns the motel also

manages it and works the front desk. A midsize budget

motel generally has an owner, a manager, one or more

front desk clerks, several housekeepers, and, sometimes, a

security guard, typically on contract. Upper-end and larger

budget motels usually have additional staff that fill these

roles.

† The definition of "adult motels"

varies from one jurisdiction to the

next, but they often rent rooms by

the hour and advertise the

availability of in-room pornographic

movies.

†† There is evidence that drug

dealers sometimes operate out of

financially strained motels and

apartment complexes because the

property managers are unlikely to

have the will or resources to stop

them (Eck 1995b).

††† The word "motel" is derived

from the words "motorist" and

"hotel" (Roadside Architecture

2002).

†††† More than half of the 41,000

lodging establishments in the United

States have between 15 and 75

rooms. The majority of these

properties are likely motels, although

some larger motels may have up to

200 rooms (American Hotel &

Lodging Association 2003).
6 Disorder at Budget Motels

Although there are notable exceptions, family-operated

motels tend to have higher calls-for-service-per-room

(CFS/room) ratios than chain motels. The CSUSB study

found that family-operated motels' CFS/room ratios were

60 percent higher than those at non-family-operated

motels.10 As of 2000, approximately 60 percent of hotels

and motels were chain lodgings, and 40 percent were

independently owned and operated.11

Motel Clientele

At a typical lodging establishment, 80 percent of the

guests are tourists, business travelers, or meeting or

convention attendees. The remaining 20 percent have

other reasons for staying, including personal reasons and

special events.12 By contrast, at budget motels with crime

and disorder problems, it is not unusual to find that 80

percent or more of the guests are local residents staying

Drive-up motel rooms allow unrestricted and

anonymous access to guest quarters at any hour of day

or night.

Karin Schmerler
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 7

for personal reasons, and just 20 percent of the guests are

tourists or business travelers. There is some indication that

motels experience a "tipping point" with respect to

clientele. If a motel rents out rooms to enough problem

guests, then more problem guests–and fewer legitimate

guests–will be attracted to that motel. In some cases, just

one problem guest can discourage legitimate guests from

renting rooms.13

A number of motels cater predominantly to local clients

with a wide variety of reasons for renting budget rooms.

Low-income workers sometimes seek long-term housing at

motels rather than apartments, because motels do not

require a first and last month's deposit and let guests "pay

as they go." People living day-to-day may be able to pay $38

a night for a motel room (with an average monthly total of

more than $1,100), but unable to pay $500 all at once for

an apartment. Motels also offer free furnishings, as well as

cable television, electricity, and a telephone.14 People lacking

steady jobs also rent motel rooms nightly, short term, or

long term, for the same reasons.†

Seasonal or short-term laborers, such as migrant and

construction workers, also rent budget motel rooms, for

anywhere from several weeks to several months.†† In some

cases, government agencies that subsidize housing refer

specific groups of people to motels. For example, the

agencies sometimes provide public-assistance recipients and

parolees with housing vouchers they can use at motels.

† In Anaheim, California, where the

typical apartment costs $1,200 a

month, an estimated 2,000 of the

city's 310,000 residents lived in

motels full time before the city

enacted long-term rental restrictions

on the properties (Hill and

Associated Press 2000).

†† Seasonal laborers staying at

motels for long periods can create

ready markets for prostitution and

drugs; if the laborers are paid in

cash and do not use banks, they are

particularly vulnerable to robbery or

room burglary.
8 Disorder at Budget Motels

A considerable number of budget-motel users seek rooms

for criminal or nuisance purposes. Prostitutes and their

customers rent rooms to secure safe, cheap places to

conduct business; drug dealers use motels to contact

buyers and make transactions; smugglers use motels as way

stations for people they've smuggled into the country; and

partiers rent rooms to get away from their usual

environment, drink alcohol or use drugs, and generally

behave in ways that are less acceptable at home.

Regardless of their motivation for frequenting motels,

guests and visitors who live within 30 miles of a motel

tend to be higher-risk clients and cause more problems

than tourists or business travelers. The probation rates of

problem-motel guests and visitors who provided local

addresses to Chula Vista officers were 13 times those of

The Calls-for-Service-per-Room Ratio: A Common Denominator

Using a calls-for-service-per-room (CSF/room) ratio allows for a

standardized comparison of problem levels across motels of different

sizes. The ratio is computed by dividing a motel's total number of calls

for service in a 1-year period by the number of rooms at the motel. For

example:

87 CFS / 39 rooms = 2.2 CFS/room

52 CFS / 12 rooms = 4.3 CFS/room

You can use both citizen- and officer-initiated calls to calculate

CFS/room ratios–either independently, for different perspectives on

motel problems, or together, for total CFS/room ratios. To download an

Excel spreadsheet you can use to calculate CFS/room ratios, see

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels
The Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 9

California's general adult population. In contrast, no

tourists questioned at the same motels indicated they were

on probation or parole.15 In addition, the CSUSB study

found that the percentage of local guests staying at a

motel was positively correlated with the motel's

CFS/room ratio; in other words, the higher the number of

local guests, the higher the number of CFS/room.16

Long-term† guests also pose risks for motels. The CSUSB

study found that the average length of stay at a motel was

strongly correlated with citizen-initiated CFS/room ratios:

the longer the average stay, the higher the citizen-initiated

CFS/room ratio.17 Because they are designed to

accommodate short-term guests, motel rooms are not

typically stocked with cleaning products such as

disinfectants, rags, dusters, mops, and vacuum cleaners,

and can quickly deteriorate without frequent housekeeping

and maintenance–services that low-end motels do not

generally provide.18 Problem long-term guests are also

difficult to remove from motels. In many jurisdictions,

motel guests are considered legal tenants after 28 days of

renting, and managers must have them evicted if they

want them to leave.

Prostitutes are among the riskiest clients motels serve. The

CSUSB report found that motels that reported having

problems with prostitution in the prior month had very

high average CFS/room ratios compared with motels that

reported other serious problems, including drug sales.

Due to the number of people that pass through a motel

on a given night, and the need to quickly make decisions

on nightly rentals, managers cannot conduct the type of

lengthy background checks on would-be guests that are

typically done on prospective apartment renters. In

† A person who stays seven or more

days at a motel can be considered a

long-term guest. In some

jurisdictions, making weekly

payments for motel rooms

constitutes tenancy (Campbell

DeLong Resources Inc. and

Portland Police Bureau 1999).
10 Disorder at Budget Motels

addition, if business is down or motels have trouble

attracting legitimate guests due to substandard facilities,

staff might rent to suspicious guests to maintain cash flow.

They also may have difficulty turning down undesirable

guests during slow seasons.
Understanding Your Local Problem 11

Understanding Your Local Problem

The information provided above is only a generalized

description of disorder at budget motels. 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.

Asking the Right Questions

The following are some critical questions you should ask

in analyzing your particular problem of disorder at budget

motels, 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.

Calls for Service and Crime Incidents

• How many citizen- and police-initiated service calls

does your agency handle at budget motels each year?

Has the volume of the two types of calls changed over

time? 

• What is the nature of the service calls and crime

incidents at budget motels? Do certain types of calls

and crimes occur more frequently at some properties?

• What is the annual CFS/room ratio† for each motel?

Do the ratios vary significantly among similarly priced

properties in the same neighborhood? (See

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels for an example of

how these ratios can vary considerably, even among

motels in the same several-block area. See

† Annual budget-motel CFS/room

ratios that include both citizen- and

police-initiated calls generally range

from 0.25 to 2.0, but some

communities have properties–

especially non-chain motels–with

ratios of 11.0 or higher.
12 Disorder at Budget Motels

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels to obtain a chart

template you can use to show the difference in

CFS/room ratios for motels in your own jurisdiction.)

• For what types of crimes have police made arrests at

motels? Are certain types of arrests–especially drug or

prostitution arrests–more common at some properties? 

• What crime and disorder problems have motels

experienced but not reported?

Motel Management Practices

• What specific management practices are in place at lowpriced motels with annual CFS/room ratios below 1.0?

Above 1.0? (Good management practices are described

in the "Responses" section below. To download a copy

of a survey you can use to interview motel managers,

see http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) 

• Have CFS/room ratios changed over time, particularly

with a change in property management? 

• Who owns the motel? Is it independently operated, part

of a franchise, or corporately owned? Does the owner

have other properties? Obtaining information about a

motel’s owner(s) and managers, as well as any other

parties who have an interest in the motel (such as

mortgage holders, ground-lease holders, and insurers),

is critical to reducing problems at the motel. Property

profiles, commonly known as “lot books,” list all

parties with a financial interest in a motel. Lot books

can often be obtained through city clerks who

frequently contract with title search companies for this

product. Professional skip-tracing search engines can

supplement lot-book research by providing owner

contact information, as well as information about tax

liens on the property and civil suits against the

owner(s).
Understanding Your Local Problem 13

• Is the motel's business license up to date? 

• How viable is the motel from a business perspective?

How much money did the motel take in last year, and

what was the average occupancy rate?†

• How willing is the owner/manager to take

responsibility for motel problems, and to work with

police to address them? 

• Are there some security measures the manager would

like to implement, but cannot due to cost, company

policy, or zoning, planning, or fire code restrictions?

• How many motels rent to guests for more than 30

consecutive days? How many and what percentage of

current guests in each motel are long-term tenants?

Property Condition and Layout 

• What is the general condition of the motel's rooms?

Do they meet minimum standards of cleanliness, safety,

and functionality? 

• What is the general condition of the motel's exterior?

Is it well landscaped and maintained?

• How many entrances and exits are there to the motel

grounds? Does all foot and vehicle traffic have to pass

by the front office to access rooms or public areas,

such as the pool? Are both vehicle and pedestrian

access impeded by hedging or some other barrier? Is

there a fence around the property's perimeter, or is

access controlled via a gate or other means?

• How many entrances and exits are there to the motel

building itself? Is access to the building limited by card

keys or some other means? How quickly are card keys

reprogrammed (e.g., immediately upon checkout, the

day after checkout)?

† Local government finance

departments can estimate gross

receipts through transient occupancy

taxes paid. The national average

occupancy rate for overnight lodging

was 64 percent in 2000, 60 percent

in 2001, and 59 percent in 2002 and

2003 (American Hotel & Lodging

Association 2004). A motel with 40

rooms, an occupancy rate of 60

percent, and an average nightly rate

of $50 would have yearly gross

receipts of $438,000 (40 rooms x 0.6

occupancy x $50 rate x 365 days).
14 Disorder at Budget Motels

• Are there certain smaller areas/blind spots (nooks,

hallways, parking lot sections, rooms at the back of the

motel, etc.) that are particularly conducive to problem

behaviors?

Victims 

• How concerned about problem motels are local

business employees, residents, and other people who

frequent the area? What problems have they seen or

experienced? How concerned are motel employees and

long-term tenants about problems at the properties?

• How many employees and long-term tenants have been

victimized by problem guests, and in what ways? 

• How much have problem motels lost due to theft of

motel property from rooms, vandalism, and unpaid

rentals?

Offenders

• What percentage of the guests at individual motels live

within 30 miles of them? What reasons do local guests

or visitors give for frequenting the motels?

• What are the probation/parole rates of guests at

problem motels compared with those of guests at

motels with low CFS/room ratios and those of the

general population?

• What percentage of arrestees at individual motels live

within 30 miles of them? What reasons do problem

guests (e.g., those who have been arrested or are on

probation or parole) give for frequenting the motels

with high CFS/room ratios? What do they find

appealing about those motels? (See

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels to download a
Understanding Your Local Problem 15

copy of a motel-user survey you can use to estimate

user probation and parole rates, as well as provide

insights into what attracts problem guests and visitors

to specific motels.)

Current Responses

• How does the police department currently address

motel problems? How effective have the responses

been over the long term?

• How are other local government agencies–such as code

enforcement, community development, health and

sanitation, planning and zoning, city attorney's office,

fire, and finance–addressing motel problems?

• What existing laws, ordinances, or regulations foster or

constrain the ability of police and other city agencies to

effectively address problems at budget motels?

• Are financial lending institutions that hold notes on the

motels aware of the problems, and if so, what actions,

if any, have they taken to improve the situation?

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. All measures

should be taken 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.) 
16 Disorder at Budget Motels

The following are potentially useful measures of the

effectiveness of responses to disorder at budget motels:

• fewer citizen-initiated calls for service per room, for

each property;†

• fewer crime incidents at motels;

• less-serious crime incidents at motels;

• fewer citizen-initiated calls for service and crime

incidents in areas adjacent to problem motels;

• reduced police time spent at motels;††

• reduced concern about problem motels among

neighboring businesses, residents, and others with a

stake in reducing the problems;

• reduced levels of visible disorder, such as loitering and

graffiti, at problem motels;

• increased tourist occupancy and decreased local

occupancy at motels; and

• increased number of motel rooms that meet minimum

standards of cleanliness, safety, and functionality.

† Although citizen-initiated calls

(primarily those from motel

employees) may increase during the

transitional period–when a motel is

improving management procedures

and changing its reputation–they

should ultimately decrease as the

motel becomes more able to prevent

and handle problems.

†† Officer-initiated calls should

decrease once the motels improve

their management practices and/or

control access to the property.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 17

Responses to the Problem of Disorder at

Budget Motels

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 motel-disorder

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.

General Principles for an Effective Strategy

1. Enlisting community support to address the

problem. Changing the way motels do business requires

the support of local elected officials; government agencies

that can regulate overnight lodging establishments;

business associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce

and convention and visitors bureaus; and, to some extent,

the motels themselves. These various parties should be
18 Disorder at Budget Motels

provided with detailed information about the nature and

extent of motel problems before recommending any

changes.† Well-funded regional and national motel chains

may try to influence local politicians before they have all

the facts, and small-business owners–even ones who

manage enterprises that border on the criminal–can be a

powerful local constituency for elected officials.

Neighboring businesses, residents, and users of the areas

near problem motels can help make the case for change.

2. Obtaining cooperation from motel owners and

managers. Voluntary compliance with good motel

management practices is possible to obtain from a

segment of motels, and there are several natural incentives

for managers to reduce problems at their properties.

Legitimate motel owners have a financial interest in

reducing crime and disorder problems–especially those

that involve a potential loss of revenue, such as guests

who damage rooms or refuse to pay.†† Safe, well-run,

attractive motels can charge higher rates and maintain or

increase annual revenue. Some managers would genuinely

like to reduce the number of problem guests and visitors

at their motels, but lack the necessary financial resources

or knowledge about effective crime prevention measures at

motels. (To download a copy of a management practices

checklist you can provide to motel managers, see

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Independent

motels, in particular, may not have the resources to make

significant environmental changes, but they can make a

number of management changes at little cost. National

chains have more resources at their disposal and are highly

capable of running safe motels, if they choose to do so.

You can prioritize problem motels with uncooperative

† Taking elected officials and local

business leaders on tours of problem

motels can be an effective way of

alerting them to specific issues.

†† At least 35 percent of Chula Vista

motel managers indicated they had

experienced the following problems in

the prior month: theft, guest's refusal to

leave, loud party, suspected drug dealing,

and vandalism/graffiti (Bichler, Christie,

and McCord 2003). Improved

management practices can reduce the

likelihood such problems will occur.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 19

† Motel managers in Sandy City,

Utah, were convinced that it was in

their interest to prevent drug dealers

from setting up methamphetamine

labs in their motel rooms when

informed that the cost of cleaning

up and rebuilding a motel room

after a drug lab explosion could be

as high as $25,000 (Thompson

1999).

managers or owners by CSF/room ratios, total number of

citizen- and officer-initiated service calls, and community

complaints. Uncooperative motels will have different

leverage points. National budget chains may want to avoid

negative publicity. Absentee motel owners may be

persuaded to make changes that will reduce their exposure

to liability or the likelihood of significant property

damage.† Motel owners or managers involved in criminal

activity at their motel can be forced to sell their business

or radically change their business practices if they have

been charged with or convicted of a crime. However,

some motels may change the way they do business only

under the threat of nuisance abatement or new local laws

governing motel operations.

Regulating Management Practices Through CFS/Room Ratios

The city of Tukwila, Washington, requires motels to implement specific

responses based on their yearly CFS/room ratios. All motels fall in one of

three tiers established by the city: (1) less than or equal to 0.25

CFS/room/year; (2) 0.26 CFS/room/year to 1.0 CFS/room/year; and (3)

more than 1.0 CFS/room/year. Motels and hotels in the tier with the

fewest service calls do not have to make any changes. Motels in the

middle tier must have a staff member on the property 24 hours a day,

maintain a surveillance camera in the lobby at all times, and participate in

a crime prevention assessment. Motels in the highest service-call tier must

implement the middle-tier requirements, as well as submit employee

names to the police department for background checks, train employees

in proper management practices, install cameras in parking lots,

implement crime-prevention-through-environmental-design

recommendations, and make a number of other changes. Since being

passed in the summer of 2000, police there report the initiative has

reduced service calls by approximately 60 percent at motels with annual

CFS/room ratios of more than 1.0.
20 Disorder at Budget Motels

3. Establishing and enforcing minimum motel

functionality and security standards. All motels should

comply with appropriate housing and building codes, and

meet minimum security standards established through a

combination of court decisions, legislation, and

assessments by lodging managers.†

4. Establishing crime-and-disorder performance

standards and goals. As noted earlier, CFS/room ratios

vary significantly, even among comparable motels in

comparable neighborhoods. Motels with low CFS/room

ratios set a natural baseline for what can be accomplished

at similar properties. Motels should be able to maintain

annual CFS/room ratios of less than 1.0††; action should

be taken against those that do not keep calls at or below

this level. Incentives for reaching performance goals, such

as city-sponsored signage, community development funds,

or other enticements, may be offered to motels that

maintain annual CFS/room ratios of 0.5 or less.††† Both

research and successful crime-reduction projects at motels

and other residential properties have shown that motel

personnel–especially managers and owners–can effectively

control crime and disorder on their properties through

proper management practices.19 Managers and owners have

the greatest ability to ensure that their properties do not

attract problem guests and visitors. However, many

managers and owners are under the false impression that

only police enforcement can reduce the problems at their

motels, and rely primarily on local police to keep the

order. Police agencies should avoid becoming de facto

security services for motels for two reasons: traditional

enforcement tactics are not particularly effective at

reducing motel problems, and cities should not routinely

subsidize the security operations of a for-profit industry.

In general, it is important that police let motel managers

or owners decide what specific steps to take to meet local

† All agree that deadbolts,

peepholes, door chains, solid doors

and frames, and room telephones

constitute basic security measures

that all motels should have in

place. As far as liability goes, the

absence of these measures is

considered evidence of unsafe

lodging. Motels with established

crime problems have also been

expected to employ adequate

numbers of security guards, install

closed-circuit television (CCTV) in

problem areas, and secure slidingglass doors with bars (Slepian

2002).

†† In some communities, a ratio of

0.5 may be excessive, however,

compared to other motels in the

area.

††† Performance standards are not

intended to discourage motel staff

or others from calling the police in

an emergency. Police should

conduct a quick door-to-door

tenant survey if they suspect a

manager is training tenants not to

call them. Motel managers facing a

performance standard may argue

that it is their right to call the

police, and they should not be

penalized for being proactive.

However, if a motel chooses to

cater to a high-risk clientele and

has a high number of calls for

service, the management should

completely control access to the

property. The management may

also need to hire adequate security,

both to handle repeat nuisance

calls that should not require a

police response, and to prevent

more-serious incidents from

occurring. If a motel cannot afford

access-control measures and

private security (if necessary), it

should stop catering to a high-risk

clientele.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 21

standards. If a police agency recommends specific changes

at a motel, and those changes do not bring about the

desired results, the motel may have grounds to argue

against abatement or other enforcement actions designed

to reduce problems.20

Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels

Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors 

5. Requiring all adult guests and visitors† to present

government-issued photo ID at the front desk

immediately upon arrival. An ID requirement reduces

the perception of anonymity at motels, reinforces personal

accountability for behavior, and provides police with

important information should a crime occur–all reducing

the motel's appeal to problem guests and visitors. At

minimum, front desk clerks should collect the following

information from both guests and visitors:

• full name,

• home address,

• home telephone number,

• date of birth,

• government ID number and ID type,

• state and country of ID issuance,

• time of arrival, and

• number of assigned or visited room.

Desk clerks at motels with high CFS/room ratios should

also collect the following from registered 

guests:

• name, address, and phone number of their employer,

and 

• name and telephone number of an emergency contact.21

† Like guests, visitors should be

directed to the front desk by the

security staff or the property design

(e.g., fencing that prohibits

unimpeded motel access, walkways

that lead directly to the front office).
22 Disorder at Budget Motels

Clerks should complete the guests' registration cards

according to information verbally provided by the guests,

then ensure the photo IDs contain the same information.

Clerks should also visually verify and record guests' and

visitors' license plate numbers, and issue corresponding

parking permits that limit stays.22 Staff should record all

guest and visitor information on a government-approved

registration form readily accessible to police and other city

officials who need to review occupancy levels, such as

finance department personnel.

6. Requiring that guests and visitors be at least 21

years old to rent or visit a room, unless accompanied

by a parent or legal guardian. Minors are at particular

risk of sexual assault or statutory rape at motels; age

limitations on guests and visitors can help prevent these

crimes. Maintaining a strict 21-or-older policy for both

guests and visitors can also prevent underage drinking in

motel rooms.

7. Maintaining and enforcing "no rent" and "no

trespass" lists. Motel managers should retain the names

and other registration information of people who have

been arrested on the property, have caused a disturbance,

have necessitated a call to police, are prohibited from

renting at the motel as a result of a temporary restraining

order or parole/probation conditions, or did not follow

motel rules during rental. Motel management should ban

such people from the property for a set period, typically

six months to a year. You should consult legal counsel

about the particular legal requirements of enforcing such

bans in your jurisdiction.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 23

8. Limiting visitors and contact between strangers.

Motels should prohibit visitors between 10 p.m. and 6

a.m.; people on the property between those hours should

be guests or staff only. At particularly problematic motels,

management may want to prohibit visitors entirely. In

addition, motels should limit the number of unrelated

guests to one or two per room, thus discouraging parties

and underage drinking.23 Front desk clerks should refuse to

connect callers to rooms if the callers do not know the

guests' full names.24 Implementing and enforcing all of

these policies can reduce a motel's appeal to prostitutes

and drug dealers.

9. Prominently posting notices and signs that clearly

outline appropriate guest and visitor behavior, as well

as the sanctions that will be levied against violators.25

Sample rules include the following:

• No illegal activity (including drug use/sales,

prostitution, and underage drinking) is allowed on the

premises. If such activity is suspected, the management

will notify the police and ask guests to leave the

property, without a refund.

• Room doors must be kept closed at all times.

• No loitering is allowed on the premises.

• No public drinking is allowed.

• Playing loud music is not allowed.

• Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

• All visitors must check in at the front desk.

• Guest rooms may not be used for private parties.

• Parking passes must be displayed in all vehicles parked

in the lot, or they will be towed at the owners' expense.

• The management shares registration information with

local police.
24 Disorder at Budget Motels

10. Guaranteeing payment from high-risk guests.

Motels that have experienced problems with guests who

won't pay or leave can require a two-night cash deposit or

a credit card imprint at check-in. This policy can help

ensure that motels receive compensation for all rentals, as

well as cover any losses or damages that may occur.

Karin Schmerler

Posted signs, clearly stating the rules of the motel, can

dissuade guests from engaging in illegal activities.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 25

11. Refusing to rent to known or suspected prostitutes,

gang members, or drug dealers,† or to anyone clearly

intoxicated or under the influence of illicit

substances. Motel staff have the right to refuse service to

anyone, as long as they do not discriminate against a

protected class in making room rental decisions. (To

download a list of criminal indicators that can be posted

at the front desk for easy clerk reference, see

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Woodbury,

Minnesota, officers provide motels with detailed telephone

listings of local escort services so motel clerks can crossreference outgoing and incoming calls to rooms occupied

by suspected prostitutes.26 National City, California, police

obtained temporary restraining orders that barred known

prostitutes from certain motels.27 Motels may want to

consider charging for outgoing local telephone calls, which

can discourage motel use by guests who plan to make a lot

of local calls.28

12. Implementing clear check-in policies, and training

clerks in their use. Clerks should provide guests and

visitors with a copy of the "house rules." If the motel is

experiencing serious problems, clerks should require guests

and visitors to read and sign a form. Clerks should also

ask guests why they are renting a room, how many visitors

they expect, and how long they are staying. If guests

indicate they will be staying seven days or more, motel

managers should conduct more extensive screenings,

which may involve credit, employment, and prior landlord

reference checks.29 Night clerks, who are often recent

hires, may need additional training in guest screening and

motel security procedures.30

† Prostitutes are often well-known

to motel clerks, gang members may

have gang-related tattoos, and drug

dealers may have previously raised

suspicion by making numerous brief

phone calls from their rooms during

prior motel stays. Based on a review

of motel arrests, Sandy City officers

developed a profile of people buying

and selling drugs at the properties.

The typical arrestee used

methamphetamine, was between the

ages of 18 and 35, provided a local

address, and paid in cash at lowpriced motels or used a fraudulent

credit card at moderately priced

motels. The arrestees also generally

checked into motels in pairs and

without luggage, and made and

received numerous local phone calls

(Thompson 1999).
26 Disorder at Budget Motels

13. Reinforcing formal and informal social controls

over problem guests. Police can inform those who

oversee problem guests, such as military command staff

and employers of seasonal laborers, about motels that

experience relatively high levels of crime and disorder.

The military can make problem properties "off limits" to

personnel.31 Police should provide oversight officials with

details on the types of problems experienced at the

motels, and, if applicable, inform them that there are plans

to conduct enforcement operations at the properties, as

well as change how they are run, so they are more

restrictive with respect to photo ID requirements, visitor

prohibitions, public drinking, and noise policies. Probation

agencies can also set probation and/or parole conditions

that prohibit offenders from frequenting specific motels

with histories of drug problems and other criminal

activity.32

Managing Problem Guests and Visitors

14. Assigning potential problem guests to rooms near

the front office or with high natural surveillance. Some

motel managers routinely rent suspicious guests rooms

near the front office, so they can better monitor their

behavior. Rooms that face a busy street can also provide

natural surveillance of problem guests and their visitors.

15. Employing well-trained, uniformed, on-site

security guards, with clear expectations regarding

duties. Security guards should regularly and randomly

patrol motel grounds and contact people who are loitering

or behaving suspiciously. On large properties, guards
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 27

should patrol on bicycle; on smaller properties, guards

should be on foot. On all properties, they should carry

professional two-way radios.33 They should pay attention to

problem areas; enforce no-trespass lists; photograph

trespassers and provide pictures to police and other motel

staff; check for vehicles without parking permits and for

other lot violations, and knock on the appropriate guests'

doors to have them correct the violations; and generally

enforce all house rules regarding noise levels, visitors, etc.

Guards should not fraternize with guests or visitors.

16. Prohibiting "back-in" parking. Some motel guests

who engage in illicit activity back into motel parking

spaces to make it harder for others to get their license

plate numbers,† and easier for them to leave quickly, if

necessary. Prohibiting such parking will make the motel

less attractive to those with criminal intentions.

17. Inspecting the rooms of guests who refuse maid

service or behave suspiciously after check-in. Guests

who have no luggage but anticipate an extended stay, bring

a lot of luggage into a room for a one-night stay, or make

and receive many local phone calls may be involved in

producing methamphetamine.34 If motel managers suspect

drugs are being produced or sold, or find drug

paraphernalia, they should call the police, who can inspect

the room for evidence of illicit activity. You should

consult with legal counsel about the laws governing police

searches of motel rooms in your jurisdiction.

† Approximately 20 states do

not require vehicles to display

a front license plate.
28 Disorder at Budget Motels

† The two most frequent problems

experienced by Chula Vista motel

managers were (1) too many people

in a room (65 percent of managers

reported experiencing this problem

in the previous month), and (2)

unauthorized guests/visitors in

rooms (57 percent of managers)

(Bichler, Christie, and McCord

2003). Controlling direct access to

rooms can substantially reduce both

problems.

Changing the Physical Environment

18. Limiting access to the property. A key feature of a

safe motel is its ability to control who has direct access to

guest rooms and other parts of the property.† Motels can

limit access in a variety of ways, including the use of

perimeter fencing, electronic gates, security guards,35 and a

property design that requires all foot and vehicle traffic to

pass by the front office.36 Some motels have converted

exterior corridors to interior corridors to control access.

At a notorious airport motel in Oakland, California,

security guards function as a human barrier to those trying

to access motel rooms. They send guests to the front desk

to register, and ask potential visitors for the full name and

room number of the person they want to visit. If visitors

can provide this information as it appears on the room

rosters the guards have, the guards send them to the front

desk to register; if they cannot, the guards ask them to

leave. Service calls have dropped by 59 percent since this

practice, along with a series of other changes, was

implemented.37 A Charlotte, North Carolina, motel that

erected a fence to eliminate non-motel foot traffic

Karin Schmerler

This motel fenced an unnecessary entrance/exit to reduce "pullthrough" traffic.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 29

† A foot-candle is a unit of

measurement of light per square

foot of surface space. Inexpensive

light meters can be used to

determine the lighting level at a

specific location.

increased the motel residents' perception of safety, and

along with the eviction of a problem tenant and

improvements in the registration process, reduced service

calls by more than 60 percent.38

19. Installing and monitoring CCTV. Closed-circuit

television (CCTV) cameras at the property entrance(s), in

the lobby, in the parking lot, in the pool area, at building

entrances and exits, and at other problem locations can

help motel staff better monitor the entire property. To

address an increase in armed robberies at Marriott's

higher-end budget motels (Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn,

and Courtyard) in the mid-1990s, Marriott installed a basic

CCTV system in the lobby of more than 80 percent of

them. Robbery rates at those motels fell 43 percent the

first year after they installed CCTV, and an additional 33

percent the first nine months of the next year. Color

monitors were found to be most effective. In addition,

motels that installed the monitors in locations visible from

outside the motel experienced a more dramatic decline in

robberies than those that did not. Finally, contrary to

Marriott's expectations, legitimate customers did not voice

concerns about the monitors.39 For it to be effective and

not cause undue liability, CCTV must be monitored, which

can be time-consuming and tedious.

20. Installing adequate lighting, and improving the

visibility at blind corners with mirrors. Uniform

lighting of at least one foot-candle† for the entire site is

recommended; walkways, room entrances, and stairs

should be more brightly lit. Three to five foot-candles of

lighting are recommended for building entrances.40

Motion-detector lighting can be an additional safeguard in

problem areas.
30 Disorder at Budget Motels

21. Landscaping and maintaining the property in a

way that minimizes crime opportunities and

maximizes the perception of ownership. Simply

planting and maintaining a low-growth flower garden can

signal to problem guests that the property is well-cared-for

and unlikely to be suitable for illegal activity. Abandoned

vehicles, furniture, and appliances, graffiti, and other signs

of neglect should quickly be removed. Pay phones used by

problem guests should be altered or removed. You should

consult someone trained in the principles of crime

prevention through environmental design (CPTED)† for

specific recommendations.

22. Establishing redesign and property improvement

incentives. Areas slated for redevelopment can be

rezoned to encourage property improvements that both

reduce crime opportunities and improve aesthetics. For

example, in Sarasota, Florida, owners of aging motels and

other structures built before the current building code was

adopted had little incentive to significantly upgrade their

properties, as doing so would require full code compliance.

To encourage property improvements, the city exempted

motel owners in a specially designated redevelopment zone

from meeting the code requirements, as long as the

proposed upgrades met the overall goals for the zone: to

create "...a safe and attractive environment..."41 Cities can

also offer low-interest loans or tax credits for major

renovations that would allow motels to increase room

rates or incorporate CPTED principles into the property

design.

† For more information on CPTED

principles, see the International

CPTED Association's website, at

http://www.cpted.net/default.html.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 31

Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners† and

Managers for Maintaining Safe Lodging

23. Informing owners and managers about problems

on site. Any time police make a drug or prostitution

arrest on motel property, they should send a letter to the

owner, manager, and any other parties with a financial

interest in the property (such as mortgage holders),

informing them of the arrest and the consequences to the

motel–such as abatement–if the activity continues.†† The

letter should request that the motel owner meet with

police and/or city legal staff to explain how he or she

plans to address the problem.††† Once a year,†††† police

should forward each motel a listing of arrests, crime

incidents, and service calls that occurred at the property

during the prior year, along with an indication of how the

motel's activity level compares with that of similar motels.

The annual report should inform managers of their

potential exposure to civil liability if they fail to maintain

safe properties.††††† Police may also want to consider

conducting checks of all registered guests and visitors at

problem motels for outstanding warrants, and notifying

motel managers and owners of the results (arrests, drugs

seized, etc.). Legal advice on conducting such checks is

recommended.

† It is important to inform and work

with problem-motel owners as well

as managers, because managers may

not have the authority to make

changes that could result in a loss of

rental revenue (Clarke and BichlerRobinson 1998).

†† In a number of states and

municipalities, properties where drug

dealing or other nuisance behavior,

such as prostitution (laws vary),

occurs can be closed or otherwise

ordered to cease operation.

††† An evaluation of a San Diego

effort to reduce drug dealing by

contacting property owners found

that those who both received a letter

from the police about the illegal

activity and participated in a followup meeting experienced a 60 percent

reduction in reported crime (Eck

1998).

†††† Problem motels may more

frequently require information on

arrests, crimes, and service calls. As

part of an intensive effort to reduce

problems at a Fresno, California,

property, an officer personally

contacted the owner and manager

each time police made an arrest or

executed a search warrant at the

property (Fresno 1998).

††††† Some courts have held that

the burden is on motel management

to assess the need for security

measures, based on the foreseeability

of crime problems at the property.

Aspects of foreseeability include the

nature and volume of previous

crimes at the property, the crime rate

of the surrounding neighborhood,

guests who commit crime(s), a

property design that facilitates crime,

the number of calls about suspicious

people, and a high visitor-to-guest

ratio (Slepian 2002).
32 Disorder at Budget Motels

24. Requiring that a manager be on the property at all

times. Problems at motels occur at all hours; managers

must be available at all times to address the concerns that

will inevitably arise during nonbusiness hours. Some motel

managers live in their motels. As a general proposition,

residential property managers are more likely to employ

management practices that will reduce crime and maintain

order if the property is also their home.42

25. Encouraging owners to sign "good neighbor

agreements." Good neighbor agreements may be

required for particularly problematic motels. These

detailed, signed agreements between motel owners and the

police ensure that motels are implementing acceptable

management practices appropriate to the property.43

26. Offering employee training programs. Such

programs should cover practices that will aid motel

employees in reducing crime, improving business

operations, and complying with local laws. Police can

provide specific guidelines on conducting background

checks on prospective employees, screening guests and

visitors, recognizing suspicious activity (such as

methamphetamine lab operations), reducing crime

opportunities through environmental design, knowing

when to call the police, and handling disturbances or

crimes such as robberies. Additional topics of interest to

motel managers may include crime prevention measures

that directly affect motel finances, such as recognizing

counterfeit payment methods.44 It is also important to

educate motel owners about their potential legal liability if

they do not operate safe establishments.45 (Motel managers

and owners interested in reducing problems at their

properties should see Crime Prevention in Overnight Lodging, a
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 33

short manual developed specifically for motel managers, at

http://www.popcenter.org/Problems/Supplemental_Mater

ial/Prostitution/CDRI_CP_ONL.pdf.)46

Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties

27. Limiting occupancy to no more than 28 days in a

90-day period, and evicting problem tenants. A

number of jurisdictions have prohibited motels from

housing people on a long term basis–typically for more

than a month at a time–citing health and safety reasons.† If

motels cannot be prohibited from housing long-term

residents, they should implement more rigorous screening

procedures and operate their businesses as landlords,

rather than managers.†† Established motel tenants involved

in illegal activity should be evicted under existing landlordtenant laws.††† The arrest and subsequent eviction of

managers and several long-term problem residents of a

Fresno motel resulted in a 70 percent decrease in the

average number of service calls per month.47

28. Conducting regulatory inspections and audits.

Regulatory inspections and audits can help ensure that

properties comply with relevant fire, building, zoning,

property maintenance, and health and safety codes, as well

as tax laws. Oakland, California's Specialized Multiagency

Response Team routinely inspects nuisance properties,

including motels, to ensure compliance with housing, fire,

and safety codes. Properties not in compliance may be

sued using civil laws. An evaluation found that this

approach was more effective at reducing drug problems in

and around targeted properties than traditional

enforcement efforts.48 Involving tax authorities can prove

particularly effective in encouraging motels to change their

business practices.†††† Fresno police requested that the city

† In justifying its 30-day stay limit at

motels, Buena Park, California,

indicated that the lack of ongoing

maintenance and maid service at

long-stay motels rapidly creates

substandard conditions in most, if

not all, of the rooms.

†† For further information about

effective rental-property

management, see Campbell (2000).

††† An evaluation of effective drug

abatement efforts found that

problem-tenant eviction enabled a

large majority of properties to

essentially eliminate drug problems

and avoid abatement (Davis and

Lurigio 1998).

†††† In California, the Franchise Tax

Board can eliminate tax deductions

if a property does not comply with

housing codes.
34 Disorder at Budget Motels

revoke a problem motel's rooming tax permit on the

grounds the motel was violating a municipal code that

prohibited allowing unlawful activity on the property;

ultimately, the threat of this action forced the owners to

sell the motel.49

29. Implementing licensing requirements for lodging

establishments, including minimum security,

sanitation, and management standards. In Stockton,

California, motels must meet minimum standards to obtain

a permit to operate. Among other things, permit

applicants must demonstrate that the property fully

complies with all applicable building, fire, and health

codes; that service calls to the property have not been

"excessive," as determined by the police chief; that the

premise is governed by a management plan that addresses

cleaning schedules and property maintenance; and that the

property manager has not been involved in criminal

activity for at least five years† and has completed a motelmanagement training course co-taught by the police, fire,

† The CSUSB study of Chula Vista

motels found that only 19 percent of

motels that were not family-owned

conducted criminal records checks

on motel employees.

Adele Sidock

Because many independent motels were built more

than 50 years ago and owners tend to limit

investment in the properties, a number will exhibit

moderate to severe code violations.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 35

code enforcement, and environmental health departments,

and the local hotel/motel association.50,† During 2002, the

program's first year of operation, 12 of the city's 59

motels were shut down because they failed to comply with

the new requirements. Oakland, California, requires that

all motel rooms be secured with deadbolt locks and meet

minimum standards regarding conditions and furnishings,

as well as linen and mattress cleanliness.51 Motel practices

and standards can also be regulated through conditionaluse permits, particularly when motel ownership changes

hands.

30. Enacting special regulations for adult motels.†† To

make it more difficult for prostitutes to operate out of

motels, a number of cities have passed laws prohibiting

motels from renting rooms on an hourly or half-night

basis. Other jurisdictions have established definitions of

adult motels to limit where they can be located and to

regulate their operations.

31. Requiring a performance bond††† or other changes

at a property in exchange for continued business

operation. Oakland police and city officials required a

prominent national budget chain to take out a $250,000

performance bond in return for continued operation of a

problem motel. The motel had well-documented problems

of prostitution and drug sales, and a service-call level

substantially above that of neighboring chain motels.

Rather than forfeit the $250,000 bond to the city, the

motel improved its management practices, hired 24-hour

security guards to control access to the property,

† For a copy of the Stockton

ordinance, see

http://www.stocktongov.com/SMC

/Chapter07/Ch07PartIVDiv02.htm.

†† Sugarland, Texas, has defined

adult motels as those that (1) offer

public accommodations with CCTV,

films, videos, slides, or photos

characterized by an emphasis on

specified sexual activities; (2) and

post a sign visible from the street

advertising such material; (3) or

offer a sleeping room for rent for

less than 10 hours; (4) or allow a

tenant or occupant of a sleeping

room to sub-rent the room for less

than 10 hours.

††† A performance bond guarantees

that the terms of an agreement will

be met or the injured party will be

financially compensated.
36 Disorder at Budget Motels

prohibited visitors between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and

instituted a series of other management changes. These

changes reduced service calls to the property by 59

percent† seven months after the agreement was reached,

and pushed the motel's service-call levels down to those of

neighboring chain motels, a key stipulation of the

agreement. National City officers required a series of

changes in return for the continued operation of a motel

whose owners had been cited for violating the California

state penal code sections that prohibit room rental to

known prostitutes.†† Requiring a performance bond or

other changes at a property provides a certain degree of

leverage with the property owner. In the case of the

Oakland airport motel, the adverse publicity of a drug

abatement lawsuit provided the necessary leverage for the

company to take out the performance bond. In National

City, misdemeanor charges that put the owners on

probation for one year gave officers the means for

requiring management changes.

32. Seeking cost recovery for excessive city time spent

at problem motels. If police can establish that they have,

out of necessity, spent an inordinate amount of time at

problem motels, they can request reimbursement for that

time. Oakland police recovered more than $35,000 for

time spent surveilling the budget motel that took out the

$250,000 performance bond.52

33. Closing the property. Problem motels can be closed

using a variety of approaches, including nuisance or drug

abatement,††† failure to meet legally mandated operation

standards, amortization,†††† eminent domain,††††† and

† This call reduction was achieved

with virtually no police enforcement

action. Just one search warrant was

served, and several arrests made.

†† To prove that the motel was

violating the penal code, National

City officers paid an hourly rate for

rooms and then brought known

street prostitutes to the motel,

making it clear that they were doing

so to have sex in exchange for

money. Violation of the penal code

provisions enabled officers to obtain

a search warrant for the property,

which revealed separate

bookkeeping practices and tax

violations (National City Police

Department 2002).

††† In 1999, the University of

California, Berkeley, estimated it

would cost the city of Oakland

approximately $18,000 in legal and

administrative costs to close a motel

under the state drug nuisanceabatement statute, but only an

estimated $1,300 to close the motel

if it constituted a public nuisance

under the same statute (Amato et al.

1999).

†††† Amortization is a means of

terminating a nonconforming use by

allowing investors to recoup their

investment over a reasonable period,

which may range from a few months

to several years.

††††† Eminent domain is the

government's ability to take

possession of private property for

the public good, usually by

providing fair compensation to the

owner.
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 37

imminent hazard.† Although it can be a lengthy process

and is not without costs, property closure (or the threat of

property closure) may be the only way to effectively

address problems at the worst motels. In the case of

abatement, civil penalties that accrue to the local

government may help offset property-closure costs.

Abatement laws vary by state, and the process can be

complicated; legal assistance and full consideration of the

benefits and potential pitfalls of the process are a must.††

(You can find a full discussion of closure options, their

costs and benefits, and their appropriate use, given local

crime conditions and the level of effort motel managers

make to improve the property, at

http://www.chulavistapd.org/motels.) Once a property is

closed, the government can demolish it, sell it, or convert

it to permanent housing or some other lawful use.53

† An imminent hazard is a structure

that is at risk of causing immediate

or impending harm to the occupants

or their property.

†† In weak real-estate markets, for

example, a property that is closed or

acquired through abatement may

have significant tear-down or

conversion costs that could inhibit

future property development.

Documenting drug and weapon seizures at motels is crucial to making the

case for abatement.

Aaron Anderson
38 Disorder at Budget Motels

34. Using asset forfeiture or seizure. Although not

widely used because the target property's value is often

low,54 asset forfeiture of motel property has been

attempted on several occasions. The Maricopa County,

Arizona, Attorney's Office sought to reduce problems at a

motel using state statutes that provide for property seizure

if a criminal nuisance is not abated.55 In 1998, the U.S.

Attorney in Houston sought to use federal drug assetforfeiture laws to seize a motel that was the site of drug

sales, prostitution, and other serious crimes, despite the

fact that the owners did not actively participate in the

crimes. Ultimately, the U.S. Attorney did not pursue the

forfeiture case because the motel owners agreed to make a

number of changes in motel operations.

Responses With Limited Effectiveness

35. Continually arresting offenders at problem

properties. A number of police departments have made

little impact on motel problems using only traditional

tactics.56 Albuquerque, New Mexico, police arrested more

than 20 people at a particularly problematic motel during

the summer of 1997, but by February 1998, they were

again making a lot of arrests there, for drugs and

prostitution. It was not until the property was abated as a

nuisance in 1999 that the problems there declined.57

National City officers found that the impact of "john"

stings (arrests of prostitution customers) were short-lived

and did not address the underlying cause of the problem:

poor property management. They routinely conducted

prostitution stings in the area of a problem motel for four

years before concluding that these efforts were not

effective over the long term.58 In addition, research on the

impact of drug enforcement efforts at apartment
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 39

complexes and drug houses has found little evidence that

traditional tactics are effective in these settings.59 At motels

with poor guest screening and management, police face a

seemingly limitless supply of offenders not deterred by

periodic enforcement efforts.

36. Conducting field interviews of people at problem

motels, and traffic stops of vehicles leaving them;

scheduling extra police patrols of problem motels. In

Chula Vista, a 91 percent increase in officer-initiated

activity in 2001–primarily field interviews, traffic stops,

and knock-and-talks–yielded just a 6 percent reduction in

citizen-initiated calls for service that year. A 23 percent

reduction in officer-initiated activity in 2002 corresponded

with a 10 percent reduction in citizen-initiated calls that

year. There appeared to be no relationship between the

level of police-initiated activity and the level of citizen

calls for assistance.60 Police did not inform motels about

the increased enforcement activity. A subsequent analysis

of 48 months of call data to the Chula Vista motel with

the most service calls found that there was a very weak

and statistically insignificant relationship between police

enforcement activity and citizen-initiated calls.

37. Implementing Crime-Free Hotel/Motel programs.

A spin-off of the Crime-Free Multi-Housing program, this

initiative involves certifying properties as "crime-free" if

the managers have completed the requisite training courses

and the properties conform to general CPTED principles.

Although a number of aspects of the Crime-Free

Hotel/Motel (CFHM) program are effective strategies and

recommended in this guide, the program itself has

limitations. As currently structured, the CFHM program

requires police or other city officials to spend a significant
40 Disorder at Budget Motels

amount of time helping motels go through the three-phase

process to become certified crime-free properties. Motels

that participate in the program often see a reduction in

service calls, but participation is voluntary, and problem

motels frequently opt out.† Turnover at motels can also

hamper the program, as new personnel have to be trained

in CFHM principles.61

† In Mesa, Arizona, where the

CFHM concept was developed and

implemented in 1997, the majority

of motels did not participate in the

CFHM program as of July 2001.
Appendix 41

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Disorder at

Budget Motels

The table below summarizes the responses to disorder at

budget motels, 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.

17

18

Enlisting

community

support to

address the

problem

Obtaining

cooperation

from motel

owners and

managers

Establishes joint

ownership of

the problem and

a solid

foundation for

change 

Limits the need

to regulate

changes in

business

practices

...there is

sufficient public

interest in and

political support

for addressing the

problem

...the needs and

opinions of

motel managers

and owners are

sought early in

the problemsolving process

A local business

association, such

as the Chamber

of Commerce,

may be best

positioned to

take the lead in

enlisting and

maintaining

community

support 

Not all motels

are interested in

changing the way

they do business;

these

establishments

will require a

different

approach

Response

No.

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

General Principles for an Effective Strategy
42 Disorder at Budget Motels

3.

4.

5.

6.

20

20

21

22

Establishing and

enforcing

minimum motel

functionality and

security

standards

Establishing

crime-anddisorder

performance

standards and

goals

Requiring all

adult guests and

visitors to

present

governmentissued photo ID

at the front desk

immediately

upon arrival

Requiring that

guests and

visitors be at

least 21 years

old, unless

accompanied by

a parent or legal

guardian

Restricts the

operation of

motels to those

that can provide

accommodations

that meet basic

standards

Shifts the

responsibility for

safety to those

most able to

improve

conditions–

motel operators 

Creates a record

of motel users

for police

purposes; can

help screen out

those who do

not wish to be

identified by

motel personnel

Denies minors

access to a place

to drink alcohol;

helps prevent

minors from

being sexually

assaulted in a

motel room 

...pertinent city

and county

agencies, such as

code

enforcement, the

attorney's office,

and the health

department can

provide

assistance

...a number of

motels already

maintain annual

CFS/room ratios

of less than 1.0

...front desk

clerks

consistently

adhere to

information

collection

requirements and

refuse to allow

access to people

without proper

IDs

... front desk

clerks

consistently

refuse to allow

unaccompanied

minors on the

premises and a

large number of

problem guests

are under 21

May require years

to implement, as

well as significant

political support

and ongoing

resources for

implementation

May require years

to implement, as

well as significant

political support 

A guest/visitor log

is most useful to

police if the

information is

legibly recorded

on a standardized

form, or, if

possible, entered

into a

standardized

computer database

Can be difficult to

implement

without perimeter

control 

Response

No.

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

Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors

Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget Motels
Appendix 43

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

22

23

23

24

25

Maintaining and

enforcing "no

rent" and "no

trespass" lists

Limiting

visitors and

contact between

strangers

Prominently

posting notices

and signs that

clearly outline

appropriate

guest and

visitor behavior,

as well as the

sanctions that

will be levied

against violators

Guaranteeing

payment from

high-risk guests

Refusing to rent

to known or

suspected

prostitutes,

gang members,

or drug dealers,

or to anyone

clearly

intoxicated or

under the

influence of

illicit substances

Prevents onetime problem

motel users from

becoming repeat

motel users

Inhibits parties;

reduces the

opportunity for

illicit

transactions

between

strangers

Sets rules for

motel users'

behavior;

removes excuses

regarding the

consequences of

violations 

Gives motel staff

leverage over

guests who won't

leave or pay;

helps screen

guests who can't

afford a room

Denies motel

access to

extremely highrisk guests and

visitors

Requires good

record-keeping on

the part of motels

and perimeter

control

Controlling the

perimeter may be

costly

Motels with lower

CFS/room ratios

may not want or

need explicit rules

prohibiting

prostitution and

drug use

Not all motel

customers will

have credit cards;

in these cases,

motels can require

multi-night

deposits well in

advance of

departure dates

Clerks cannot

discriminate

against people who

would like to rent

rooms based on

their race, religion,

gender, or other

protected

characteristics

...both visitors

and guests are

required to

present photo

ID to enter the

property

...motels can

control both

pedestrian and

vehicle access to

the property

...guests and

visitors read the

notices, and

management

enforces the

rules

...guests' credit

cards are

legitimate

...clerks can

identify high-risk

guests,

management

supports denying

them access, and

the motel can

either replace

them with lowrisk guests or

absorb the

resulting shortterm loss of

revenue

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations
44 Disorder at Budget Motels

12.

13.

14.

15.

25

26

26

26

Implementing

clear check-in

policies, and

training clerks

in their use

Reinforcing

formal and

informal social

controls over

problem guests

Assigning

potential

problem guests

to rooms near

the front office

or with high

natural

surveillance

Employing

well-trained,

uniformed, onsite security

guards, with

clear

expectations

regarding duties

Standardizing

and formalizing

check-in

procedures aids

clerks in

consistently

screening out

problem guests

People who have

influence over

problem guests

limit their ability

to frequent the

premises, or they

require

improvements in

behavior

Increases the

guests' risk of

getting caught

engaging in

problem

behaviors

Provides

significant

oversight of the

property

Managers may

need to

periodically check

on adherence to

check-in

procedures and

standards 

Parolees/

probationers may

have difficulty

finding other

housing that meets

their needs

This response

should be used in

only a few

borderline cases at

any one time; if a

clerk or manager

does not feel

comfortable

renting to a

person, they

should not

proceed with

check-in

Involves a

substantial cost to

the motel

...clerk turnover

is relatively low,

or key

information is

provided to new

clerks, in written

form

...problem

motels are

patronized by

significant

numbers of

people who can

be influenced

(parolees/

probationers,

military

personnel,

college students,

or seasonal

laborers)

...such rooms

are not booked

when suspicious

guests arrive

...guards go

beyond

patrolling and

proactively use

all the tools at

their disposal to

keep order on

the property

Response

No.

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

Managing Problem Guests and Visitors
Appendix 45

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

27

27

28

29

29

Prohibiting

"back-in"

parking

Inspecting the

rooms of

guests who

refuse maid

service or

behave

suspiciously

after check-in

Limiting access

to the property

Installing and

monitoring

CCTV

Installing

adequate

lighting, and

improving the

visibility at

blind corners

with mirrors

Reduces motels'

appeal to

criminals; gives

guards an

opportunity to

engage violators

Limits the

amount of time

guests have total

control over the

use of rooms

Problem guests

and visitors can

be screened out

at the front desk

Increases the

risk offenders

will get caught

engaging in illicit

or undesirable

behavior

Increases the

risk offenders

will be detected

Signs prohibiting

this practice must

be posted; guests

may not

understand the

restriction

Situations

involving

suspected

clandestine drug

labs or sales are

dangerous, and

police involvement

is recommended

Involves a cost to

the motel; police

and other

emergency

personnel must

have access to the

property

Involves a cost to

the motel

Involves a cost to

the motel

...motels are

located in or

near states that

do not require a

front license

plate

...motels employ

security guards

or other staff

who are trained

in recognizing

drug

paraphernalia 

...direct room

access or use of

the property by

people not

associated with

the motel is a

source of the

problem

...the motel has

only a few

identifiable

problem areas

...problems

occur at night

and in the

motel's public

areas 

Response

No.

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

Changing the Physical Environment
46 Disorder at Budget Motels

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

30

30

31

32

32

Landscaping

and maintaining

the property in

a way that

minimizes

crime

opportunities

and maximizes

the perception

of ownership

Establishing

redesign and

property

improvement

incentives

Informing

owners and

managers about

problems on

site

Requiring that a

manager be on

the property at

all times

Encouraging

owners to sign

"good neighbor

agreements" 

Sends the

message that the

location is

unsuitable for

criminal activity

Provides motel

owners with

resources or

benefits for

upgrading

properties or

improving their

security features

Removes excuses

on the part of

owners and

managers

Ensures that the

property will

have 24-hour

oversight

Creates a formal

record of

specific

management

practices agreed

to by a problem

motel

Involves a cost to

the motel

May involve a cost

to the jurisdiction

and/or the motel

Requires ongoing

staff support to

forward crime-anddisorder statistics

to motels and

conduct follow-up

meetings

Involves a cost to

the motel

The consequences

of violating the

agreement should

be spelled out

...it is done in

conjunction with

access control,

and strict guest

and visitor

screening 

...motels are

interested in

serving a

legitimate

clientele, but lack

the resources to

attract legitimate

customers 

...the problem

motels are

concerned about

their reputation

or the threat of

abatement

...a manager can

live in the motel

...the agreedupon practices

can be easily

monitored

Response

No.

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

Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners and Managers for Maintaining Safe Lodging
Appendix 47

26.

27.

28.

29.

32

33

33

34

Offering

employee

training

programs

Limiting

occupancy to

no more than

28 days in a 90-

day period, and

evicting

problem tenants

Conducting

regulatory

inspections and

audits

Implementing

licensing

requirements

for lodging

establishments,

including

minimum

security,

sanitation, and

management

standards

Provides

employees with

information that

can help them

run safe motels;

ensures

employees are

aware of

pertinent

regulations

Prevents

occupants from

becoming legal

tenants at motels

not designed for

long-term stays;

removes

problem guests

Ensures that

buildings meet

codes designed

to protect guests

and visitors

Ensures that

motels meet

minimum

standards of

operation

specifically

developed for

overnight

lodging

establishments

Requires ongoing

staff support to

develop,

coordinate, and

conduct the

training

Guests who need

long-term housing

but can afford or

obtain only motel

lodging may cycle

in and out of

multiple motels

over a period of

months

Requires ongoing

staff support to

coordinate and

conduct

inspections/audits

Requires

significant political

support to be

instituted, as well

as ongoing

resources to

manage the

licensing program

...training

sessions are

required and

offer

information that

will help prevent

fraud,

establishment of

drug labs, theft,

vandalism,

robbery, and

other crimes that

adversely affect

motel finances

and employees

...guests staying

longer than

seven days

undergo morethorough

screening

procedures, such

as credit and

reference checks

...city/county

agencies

coordinate

efforts

...a significant

number of a

jurisdiction's

motels operate in

a substandard

way 

Response

No.

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

Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties
48 Disorder at Budget Motels

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35

35

36

36

38

Enacting special

regulations for

adult motels

Requiring a

performance

bond or other

changes at the

property in

exchange for

continued

business

operation

Seeking cost

recovery for

excessive city

time spent at

problem motels

Closing the

property 

Using asset

forfeiture or

seizure

Targets those

motels most

likely to generate

a high number

of service calls

by limiting their

operations in

various ways

Gives police

financial leverage

over problem

motels

Jurisdictions

calculate the

value of officer

or other staff

time required to

address

problems at a

motel

Problem motels

can no longer

operate

Jurisdictions

assume

ownership of

property used

for illicit

purposes

Exemptions may

need to be made

for legitimate

hourly rentals such

as those for

corporate

hospitality suites

Requires legal

support and clear

evidence of

significant

problems at a

property

May require legal

action

Can be expensive

and timeconsuming; must

have the support

of city or county

legal staff; all legal

property owners

must be accurately

identified, which

can be a challenge

Faces legal

challenges

...problems at

the motels stem

from

prostitution, and

compliance with

regulations can

be easily

monitored

...problem

motels have

sufficient

resources and

incentive to take

out a bond 

...one or two

motels are

extreme outliers

with respect to

calls-for-service

ratios

...motel owners

have actively

allowed crime to

occur on the

property

...the property

can be relatively

easily sold or

converted to

other uses

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations
Appendix 49

35.

36.

37.

38

39

39

Continually

arresting

offenders at

problem

properties

Conducting

field interviews

of people at

problem motels,

and traffic

stops of

vehicles leaving

them;

scheduling extra

police patrols

of problem

motels

Implementing

Crime-Free

Hotel/Motel

programs

Intended to

remove problem

guests from

motels and deter

them from

returning

Intended to

deter problem

guests from

frequenting

motels 

Intended to

promote

voluntary

compliance with

good

management

practices

Except for casebuilding, this is not

shown to be an

effective use of

officer time

Except for datagathering, this is

not shown to be

an effective use of

officer time

Focuses on

process rather than

outcomes

...arrests are

used to build a

case against

owners regarding

poor guest

screening

...the measures

are used to

better

understand what

attracts problem

guests to the

motels

Response

No.

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

Responses With Limited Effectiveness

Endnotes 51

Endnotes 1 Plaster and Carter (1993). 2 Brantingham and Brantingham (1995). 3 Brantingham and Brantingham (1995). 4 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004). 5 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004). 6 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003). 7 Eisenberg, Plouffe, and Schmerler (2002). 8 Postcard History of Motels (2002). 9 Postcard History of Motels (2002).

10 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).

11 Working for America Institute (2003).

12 American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).

13 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 14 Smallwood (2000).

15 Theisen (2002).

16 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).

17 Bichler, Christie, and McCord (2003).

18 Palmer (2002).

19 Eck (1998); Clarke and Bichler-Robinson (1998);

National City Police Department (2002); CharlotteMecklenburg Police Department (1998). 20 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).

21 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 22 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 23 University of Minnesota (2000).

24 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).

25 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 26 Woodbury Police Department (2001).
52 Disorder at Budget Motels

27 National City Police Department (2002).

28 Schneider (2003).

29 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 30 Beaudry and Brandt (1998).

31 Theisen (2002b).

32 Stevens (2002).

33 Kohr (1991).

34 Thompson (1999).

35 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).

36 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 37 Oakland Police Department (2003).

38 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (1998).

39 Anderson (1999).

40 Kohr (1991).

41 Plaster and Carter (1993).

42 Felson (1998).

43 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 44 Twin Falls Police Department (1999).

45 Slepian (2002).

46 Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). 47 Fresno Police Department (2001).

48 Mazerolle, Roehl, and Kadleck (1998).

49 Fresno Police Department (1998).

50 City of Stockton (2001).

51 City of Oakland (1999).

52 Gardiner and Crawford (2003).

53 Amato et al. (1999).

54 Davis and Lurigio (1998).

55 Yuma Police Department (1998).

56 Yuma Police Department (1998); Fresno Police

Department (2001); Fresno Police Department (1998).
Endnotes 53

57 Smallwood (2000).

58 National City Police Department (2002).

59 Davis and Lurigio (1998).

60 Brookover and Morris (2003).

61 Thomason (2003); Gregor (2003).

References 55

References

Amato, G., B. Kilmer, N. Kinghorn, and M. Zafary (1999).

"Hotels, Motels, and Crime in Oakland." Report

submitted by the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School

of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, to

the City of Oakland.

American Hotel & Lodging Association (2004).

http://www.ahma.com

Anderson, T. (1999). "No Room for Crime." Security

Management 43(12):22–23.

Asian American Hotel Owners Association (2004).

http://www.aahoa.com

Beaudry, M., and H. Brandt (1998). "Suite Security."

Security Management 42(1):73, 75–76.

Bichler, G., J. Christie, and E. McCord (2003). "Chula

Vista Motel Evaluation Project." Interim report

submitted to the Chula Vista Police Department.

Brantingham, P., and P. Brantingham (1995). "Criminality

of Place: Crime Generators and Crime Attractors."

European Journal of Criminal Policy and Research 3:5–26.

Brookover, B., and S. Morris (2003). Analysis of Chula

Vista Police Department calls-for-service data from

2000 through 2002.
56 Disorder at Budget Motels

Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. (2000). Keeping Illegal

Activity Out of Rental Property: A Police Guide for

Establishing Landlord Training Programs. Washington,

D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice

Assistance.

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/148656.pdf

Campbell DeLong Resources Inc. and Portland Police

Bureau (1999). Crime Prevention in Overnight Lodging: A

Guide to Preventing Drug Activity, Prostitution, and Other

Illegal Behavior in Hotels and Motels. Portland, Ore.: City

of Portland.

http://www.cdri.com/Reports/CDRICPONL.pdf

Campbell, J. (2002). Telephone interview with author, Dec.

13.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (1998).

"Independence Lodge." Submission for the Herman

Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented

Policing.

City of Oakland (1999). Municipal Code, Chap. 8.03.

http://bpc.iserver.net/codes/oakland/

City of Stockton (2001). Municipal Code, Chapter 7, Part

IV, Division 2.

http://www.stocktongov.com/SMC/Chapter07/Ch07_

PartIV_Div02.htm

City of Tukwila (2000). Ordinance No. 1918.

http://www.mrsc.org/Ords/T8o1918.aspx

Clarke, R., and G. Bichler-Robertson (1998). "Place

Managers, Slumlords, and Crime in Low-Rent

Apartment Buildings." Security Journal 11(1):11–19.
References 57

Davis, R., and A. Lurigio (1998). "Civil Abatement as a

Tool for Controlling Drug Dealing in Rental

Properties." Security Journal 11(1):45–50.

Eck, J. (1998). "Preventing Crime by Controlling Drug

Dealing on Private Rental Property." Security Journal

11(1):37-43.

(1995a). "Examining Routine Activity Theory: A

Review of Two Books." Justice Quarterly 12:783–797.

(1995b). "A General Model of the Geography of

Illicit Retail Marketplaces." In J. Eck and D. Weisburd

(eds.), Crime Prevention Studies, Vol. 4. Monsey, N.Y.:

Criminal Justice Press.

Eisenberg, D., N. Plouffe, and K. Schmerler (2002).

"Interim Report: Chula Vista Motel Project." 

Felson, M. (1998). "Crime Prevention, Apartments, and

the Larger Ecosystem." Security Journal 11:61–63.

Fresno Police Department (2001). "The Fresno Inn."

Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for

Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.

(1998). "The Big Star Motel." Submission for the

Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.

Gardiner, B., and R. Crawford (2003). Personal interview

with author, Jan. 3.

Gregor, L. (2003). E-mail to author, dated Feb. 12.
58 Disorder at Budget Motels

Hill, J., and Associated Press (2000). "High California

Rents Push Working Poor to Cheap Motels."

www.CNN.com, Oct. 30.

Kohr, R. (1991). "Mastering the Challenge of Securing a

Budget Motel." Security Management 35(12):33–34,

39–40.

Mazerolle, L., J. Roehl, and C. Kadleck (1998).

"Controlling Social Disorder Using Civil Remedies:

Results From a Randomized Field Experiment in

Oakland, California." In R. Clarke (ed.), Crime

Prevention Studies, Vol. 9. Monsey, N.Y.: Criminal Justice

Press.

Morris, S. (2003). Temporal analysis of Chula Vista's 2003

calls-for-service data.

National City Police Department (2002). "Paradise Motel

Community Improvement Project." Submission for the

Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.

Oakland Police Department (2003). "The Oakland Airport

Motel." Submission to the Herman Goldstein Award

for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.

Palmer, G. (2002). Letter to D. Rowlands Jr., dated June

18.

Plaster, S., and S. Carter (1993). Planning for Prevention:

Sarasota, Florida's Approach to Crime Prevention Through

Environmental Design. Tallahassee, Fla.: Florida Criminal

Justice Executive Institute.
References 59

Postcard History of Motels (2002).

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/wooda/card.html

Roadside Architecture (2002). http://www.wtvzone.com/moe/moesboomerabilia/page15.html

Schneider, S. (2003). Personal interview with author, May 9.

Slepian, C. (2002). Developing and Managing a Hotel/Motel

Residence Security Program. New York: Foreseeable Risk

Analysis Center.

http://www.frac.com/lodgings/intro.asp

Smallwood, S. (2000). "Special Project: Central Avenue

Motels." ABQ Journal, Sept. 3–5.

http://www.abqjournal.com/motels

Smith Travel Research (2003). "Smith Travel Research

Announces Full Year 2002 U.S. Lodging Industry

Results." Press release, Jan. 24.

(2001). "STR Says 2000 Occupancy, RevPAR Both

Increased for U.S. Hoteliers." Press release, Jan. 22.

Stevens, P. (2002). Training conducted at the Chula Vista

Police Department, Nov. 8.

Theisen, B. (2002a). Analysis of Motel User Survey data

collected by the Chula Vista Police Department.

(2002b). Personal interview with author, Nov. 1.

Thomason, T. (2003). E-mail to author, dated Feb. 15.
60 Disorder at Budget Motels

Thompson, J. (1999). "Preventing Clandestine Labs." Law

and Order 47(10):137–140.

Twin Falls Police Department (1999). "Narcotic

Detection/Criminal Apprehension Through

Enforcement and Education." Submission for the

Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.

University of Minnesota, Alcohol Epidemiology Program

(2000). "What Hotels and Motels Can Do."

http://www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/policy/hotels.html

Woodbury Police Department (2001). "Creating

Relationships and Safe Hotels." Submission for the

Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in ProblemOriented Policing.

Working for America Institute (2003). "U.S. Hotels and

Their Workers: Room for Improvement."

http://www.workingforamerica.org

Yuma Police Department (1998). "Tropicana Motel."

Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for

Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.
About the Author 61

About the Author

Karin Schmerler

Karin Schmerler is a public safety analyst with the Chula Vista

(California) Police Department. In this capacity, she has researched a

variety of citywide and neighborhood-level crime and disorder

problems, including auto theft, traffic collisions, and school bullying.

Prior to working for the Chula Vista Police Department, she spent six

years as a social science analyst at the Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice, and seven years as a

researcher at the Police Executive Research Forum. Schmerler is an

author of Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing Crime and Disorder

through Problem-Solving Partnerships, and a co-author of "Primary Data

Collection: A Problem-Solving Necessity." She holds a bachelor's

degree in public policy studies from Duke University.

Recommended Readings 63

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.
64 Disorder at Budget Motels

• 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 65

• 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.
66 Disorder at Budget Motels

• 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 67

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
68 Disorder at Budget Motels

20. Financial Crimes Against the Elderly.

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

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

ISBN: 1-932582-27-4

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

ISBN: 1-932582-30-4

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

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

24. Prescription Fraud. Julie Wartell 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. 2005.

ISBN: 1-932582-43-6

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

ISBN: 1-932582-41-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

Problem-Solving Tools series:

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide for

Police Problem-Solvers. John E. Eck. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-19-3
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 69

Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides

Domestic Violence

Mentally Ill Persons

Robbery of Taxi Drivers

Student Party Disturbances on College Campuses

Vandalism and Break-Ins at Schools

Bomb Threats in Schools

Drug Dealing in Open-Air Markets

Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places

Drunk Driving

Bank Robbery

Witness Intimidation

Drive-by Shootings

Runaway Juveniles

Exploitation of Trafficked Women

Disorderly Day Laborers in Public Places

Child Pornography

Crowd Control at Stadiums and Other Entertainment Venues

Traffic Congestion Around Schools

Problem-Solving Tools

Analyzing Repeat Victimization

Using Offender Interviews to Inform Police Problem-Solving

Risky Facilities

Response Guides

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
70 Disorder at Budget Motels

Other Related COPS Office Publications

• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook

for Law Enforcement. Timothy S. Bynum.

• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the First

20 Years. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems:

Case Studies in Problem-Solving. Rana Sampson and

Michael S. Scott. 2000.

• Community Policing, Community Justice, and

Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the

Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety.

Caroline G. Nicholl. 1999.

• Toolbox for Implementing Restorative Justice and

Advancing Community Policing. Caroline G. Nicholl.

2000.

• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing

Crime and Disorder Through Problem-Solving

Partnerships. Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott

Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. 1998.

• Bringing Victims into Community Policing. The

National Center for Victims of Crime and the Police

Foundation. 2002.

• Call Management and Community Policing. Tom

McEwen, Deborah Spence, Russell Wolff, Julie Wartell

and Barbara Webster. 2003.

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

Keith Nicholls. 2003.

• Problem Analysis in Policing. Rachel Boba. 2003.

• Reducing Theft at Construction Sites: Lessons

From a Problem-Oriented Project. Ronald V. Clarke

and Herman Goldstein. 2003.

• The COPS Collaboration Toolkit: How to Build,

Fix, and Sustain Productive Partnerships. Gwen O.

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

2001.
Appendix 71

• The Law Enforcement Tech Guide: How to plan,

purchase and manage technology (successfully!).

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

• Theft From Cars in Center City Parking 

Facilities - A Case Study. Ronald V. Clarke and

Herman Goldstein. 2003.

For more information about the Problem-Oriented Guides for

Police series and other COPS Office publications, please call

the 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, D.C. 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.

e10042574 Updated Date: January 25, 2005

ISBN: 1-932582-41-X