1 David Yakobson
From: Brian Sweeney <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 1:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra
Cc: Council Mailbox; David White; Douglas Sloan
Subject: Letter from Brian Sweeney in Support of Tonight's Agenda Item 16-B Re: Proposed Calls for Service Statute
Attachments: DOJ Report on Calls for Service at Nuisance Motels.pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Brock and City Council members,
My name is Brian Sweeney, and I live on Oak Street with my wife and three small children in Sunset Park. I am writing in enthusiastic support of Councilman Zwick and Mayor Brock's request for the City Manager and City Attorney to review and propose revisions to the City's nuisance laws, including supplementing the City's existing code with a Calls for Service approach to nuisance identification and abatement. I am a graduate of Yale Law School, but none of the foregoing is intended as legal advice; instead, I am writing in a personal capacity.
While the City already has a powerful local nuisance ordinance (see, e.g., Section 13.06 of our municipal code) and the benefit of various state laws, such as the Drug Abatement Act, the Red Light Abatement Act, and the Public Nuisance Laws, other Southern California cities do have even more robust programs for abating public nuisances. The City of Los Angeles, for example, has its Citywide Nuisance Abatement program, a formal partnership between LAPD and the L.A. City Attorney for identifying and then using legal action to abate criminal, nuisance, and other dangerous activity at problem properties. For more info, see here:
http://www.lacp.org/2003-Articles-Main/CNAPprogram.html.
More recently, building off of best practices recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice and Arizona State University's Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (see attached report), other California cities, such as El Cajon, Costa Mesa, Chula Vista, Long Beach, and others, have adopted a Calls for Service-based approach for some classes of property. The logic is straightforward: if a property places an outsized burden on police, fire, code enforcement, or other municipal services, then the property owner must fix the underlying issues or otherwise close and/or sell the property to a more responsible owner. The City of Chula Vista has a particularly effective program, as spelled out in its municipal code and described here: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/police-department/licenses-andpermits/hotelmotelpermittooperate/hmbackgroundinformation.
While I think Chula Vista's ordinance may offer a template for a similar ordinance in our City, I also want to highlight and recommend some ways such a statute could be tailored to best serve Santa Monica based on my own research and personal experience:
1. Record-keeping:
At the moment, our publicly-available calls for service data (available at https://data.santamonica.gov/dataset/police-calls-for-service) are recorded by block or intersection, not by specific address. While I believe that's for understandable privacy reasons, any Calls for Service statute should require that the Office of Emergency Management and/or SMPD continue to record or, if they're not already, start recording specific addresses which would make the statute easier to enforce against problem properties.
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2 2. "Tracing":
Practically speaking, some issues emanating from a problem property may result in calls for service at a nearby block or intersection, not the exact block/intersection of the problem property. For this reason, the City of Chula Vista counts any call that can be "traced" to a problem property--a fight that spills out from one place to the other, for example--against that property for the purposes of tabulating calls for service. That requirement is essential for effective enforcement and for the City to gain an accurate picture of a given problem.
3. Calls for Service (CFS)/Room/Year Ratio:
Considering one class of property, the DOJ report explains: "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." To elaborate, this would mean that if a motel had 30 rooms, it would be "allowed" only 30 calls in a given year before, according to DOJ, the City must take action.
However, it is important to note that many other municipalities require action at even lower CFS/room/year ratios. In Chula Vista, it's 0.5 CFS/room/year. What's most important is that Santa Monica selects an effective CFS ratio for any class of property it chooses to regulate.
4. Identification of Problem Properties and Possible Referral to the City Attorney:
The burden of identifying problem properties must not fall on City residents. Inevitably, that approach would lead to inequity in enforcement; communities that are better resourced will be better able to lodge legitimate complaints and thus compel City action. Currently, those in our less well-resourced neighborhoods are not only more likely to bear the brunt of ongoing nuisances but also to be met with the City's failure to act.
The beauty of a Calls for Service statute, if properly enforced, is that it takes out the guesswork as to what properties require action and thus eliminates this inequity, but only if SMPD, the City Attorney, and/or a joint task force between the two is required to use the CFS data to identify these problem properties. Any CFS statue should thus spell out exactly who in the City will be responsible for tabulating CFS data.
Please note that, wherever that responsibility is lodged, this should be not a huge additional burden; it only requires a few hours of work with some very simple spreadsheet manipulation from existing City data.
If it is lodged with SMPD, SMPD must report those properties to the City Attorney for possible action, because, as the DOJ report explains, "continually arresting offenders at problem properties" is ineffective (see pg. 38).
5. Required Reporting to City Council:
Whether in an open or closed session, SMPD and the City Attorney should be required to report regularly (perhaps annually) to City Council on the worst offending locations in the City and what steps are being taken or could be taken to abate those problems.*
For some locations, I am sure the problems will be an inevitable result of their downtown or beachfront locations and thus won't require an abatement action. However, I know from my own experiences that these data will be illuminating regarding problems that have been allowed to fester without a proactive or systematic approach.
This is why a CFS statute, with a regular reporting requirement, offers an effective way to improve public safety without expending new police resources. In fact, this approach can help free up police, fire, and other City resources that nuisance properties are consuming.
*Note that this also should not be a large additional burden, as this kind of analysis should be happening anyway for effective deployment of public safety resources.
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3 6. Remedies at Problem Properties:
One other strength of a Calls for Service statute is that it puts the burden on reforming the property on the person or entity best situated to do so: the property owner. While some CFS statutes will offer time for the owner to reform, it is essential that the ordinance also allow the "hammer" of property closure and/or receivership--not only to properly align the owner's incentives but also to enable an effective solution when an owner persists in allowing criminal, nuisance, and other dangerous activity.
For instance, in Chula Vista, if a property owner fails to abate, the City will revoke the property's conditional use permit for a minimum of three years.
7. Fencing:
In the event a property is closed, any CFS statute should require that the offending owner pay for adequate fencing and/or other remedial measures to ensure that, while the property is vacant, it does not continue to attract the same or similar nuisance activity.
------------------------------------------------------------ I apologize for not being able to make tonight's meeting, but thank you again to Councilman Zwick, Mayor Brock, and all City Council members for considering this agenda item. I truly believe a Calls for Service statute would offer a tremendous opportunity to improve public safety while saving significant City resources that can be redirected more effectively.
Best wishes,
Brian Sweeney
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U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides Series No. 30
Disorder at Budget
Motels
by Karin Schmerler
www.cops.usdoj.gov
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www.PopCenter.org
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing
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.
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Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
Problem-Specific Guides Series
Guide No. 30
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
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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
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Contents vii
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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
† 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).
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 †† 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.
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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.
Steve Morris
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.
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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.
† 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).
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.
††† 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).
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.
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6 Disorder at Budget Motels
Karin Schmerler
Drive-up motel rooms allow unrestricted and
anonymous access to guest quarters at any hour of day
or night.
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 Item 16.B.
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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.
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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.
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
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 Item 16.B.
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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).
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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.
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Understanding Y our 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.
† 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.
See
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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).
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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?
† 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).
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)?
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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
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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.)
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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.
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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
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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.
† Taking elected officials and local
business leaders on tours of problem
motels can be an effective way of
alerting them to specific issues.
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.††
†† 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.
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
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Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 19 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.
† 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).
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.
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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.†
† 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).
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.†††
†† 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.
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 Item 16.B.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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24 Disorder at Budget Motels
Karin Schmerler
Posted signs, clearly stating the rules of the motel, can dissuade guests from engaging in illegal activities.
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.
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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).
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
28 Disorder at Budget Motels
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
† 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.
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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Responses to the Problem of Disorder at Budget Motels 29 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.
† 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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
† For more information on CPTED
principles, see the International
CPTED Association's website, at
http://www.cpted.net/default.html.
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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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).
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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 Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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
† 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).
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.††††
†††† In California, the Franchise Tax
Board can eliminate tax deductions
if a property does not comply with
housing codes.
Fresno police requested that the city
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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
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.
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†
† 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.
and has completed a motelmanagement training course co-taught by the police, fire, Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
† 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.
31. Requiring a performance bond††† or other changes
at a property in exchange for continued business
operation.
††† A performance bond guarantees
that the terms of an agreement will
be met or the injured party will be
financially compensated.
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,
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
† 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).
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,†††††
††† 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.
and
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
Aaron Anderson
Documenting drug and weapon seizures at motels is crucial to making the case for abatement.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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February 13, 2024
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
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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 Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations General Principles for an Effective Strategy
1. 17 Enlisting
community
support to
address the
problem
Establishes joint
ownership of
the problem and
a solid
foundation for
change
…there is
sufficient public
interest in and
political support
for addressing the
problem
A local business
association, such
as the Chamber
of Commerce,
may be best
positioned to
take the lead in
enlisting and
maintaining
community
support
2. 18 Obtaining
cooperation
from motel
owners and
managers
Limits the need
to regulate
changes in
business
practices
…the needs and
opinions of
motel managers
and owners are
sought early in
the problemsolving process
Not all motels
are interested in
changing the way
they do business;
these
establishments
will require a
different
approach
Item 16.B.
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42 Disorder at Budget Motels
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
3. 20 Establishing and
enforcing
minimum motel
functionality and
security
standards
Restricts the
operation of
motels to those
that can provide
accommodations
that meet basic
standards
…pertinent city
and county
agencies, such as
code
enforcement, the
attorney's office,
and the health
department can
provide
assistance
May require years
to implement, as
well as significant
political support
and ongoing
resources for
implementation
4. 20 Establishing
crime-and- disorder
performance
standards and
goals
Shifts the
responsibility for
safety to those
most able to
improve
conditions–
motel operators
…a number of
motels already
maintain annual
CFS/room ratios
of less than 1.0
May require years
to implement, as
well as significant
political support
Specific Responses to Disorder at Budget
Deterring/Screening Problem Guests and Visitors
Motels
5. 21 Requiring all
adult guests and
visitors to
present
governmentissued photo ID
at the front desk
immediately
upon arrival
Creates a record
of motel users
for police
purposes; can
help screen out
those who do
not wish to be
identified by
motel personnel
…front desk
clerks
consistently
adhere to
information
collection
requirements and
refuse to allow
access to people
without proper
IDs
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
6. 22 Requiring that
guests and
visitors be at
least 21 years
old, unless
accompanied by
a parent or legal
guardian
Denies minors
access to a place
to drink alcohol;
helps prevent
minors from
being sexually
assaulted in a
motel room
… front desk
clerks
consistently
refuse to allow
unaccompanied
minors on the
premises and a
large number of
problem guests
are under 21
Can be difficult to
implement
without perimeter
control
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Appendix 43
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
7. 22 Maintaining and
enforcing "no
rent" and "no
trespass" lists
Prevents onetime problem
motel users from
becoming repeat
motel users
…both visitors
and guests are
required to
present photo
ID to enter the
property
Requires good
record-keeping on
the part of motels
and perimeter
control
8. 23 Limiting
visitors and
contact between
strangers
Inhibits parties;
reduces the
opportunity for
illicit
transactions
between
strangers
…motels can
control both
pedestrian and
vehicle access to
the property
Controlling the
perimeter may be
costly
9. 23 Prominently
posting notices
and signs that
clearly outline
appropriate
guest and
visitor behavior,
as well as the
sanctions that
will be levied
against violators
Sets rules for
motel users'
behavior;
removes excuses
regarding the
consequences of
violations
…guests and
visitors read the
notices, and
management
enforces the
rules
Motels with lower
CFS/room ratios
may not want or
need explicit rules
prohibiting
prostitution and
drug use
10. 24 Guaranteeing
payment from
high-risk guests
Gives motel staff
leverage over
guests who won't
leave or pay;
helps screen
guests who can't
afford a room
…guests' credit
cards are
legitimate
Not all motel
customers will
have credit cards;
in these cases,
motels can require
multi-night
deposits well in
advance of
departure dates
11. 25 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
Denies motel
access to
extremely highrisk guests and
visitors
…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
Clerks cannot
discriminate
against people who
would like to rent
rooms based on
their race, religion,
gender, or other
protected
characteristics
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
44 Disorder at Budget Motels
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
12. 25 Implementing
clear check-in
policies, and
training clerks
in their use
Standardizing
and formalizing
check-in
procedures aids
clerks in
consistently
screening out
problem guests
…clerk turnover
is relatively low,
or key
information is
provided to new
clerks, in written
form
Managers may
need to
periodically check
on adherence to
check-in
procedures and
standards
13. 26 Reinforcing
formal and
informal social
controls over
problem guests
People who have
influence over
problem guests
limit their ability
to frequent the
premises, or they
require
improvements in
behavior
…problem
motels are
patronized by
significant
numbers of
people who can
be influenced
(parolees/
probationers,
military
personnel,
college students,
or seasonal
laborers)
Parolees/
probationers may
have difficulty
finding other
housing that meets
their needs
Managing Problem Guests and Visitors
14. 26 Assigning
potential
problem guests
to rooms near
the front office
or with high
natural
surveillance
Increases the
guests' risk of
getting caught
engaging in
problem
behaviors
…such rooms
are not booked
when suspicious
guests arrive
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
15. 26 Employing
well-trained,
uniformed, onsite security
guards, with
clear
expectations
regarding duties
Provides
significant
oversight of the
property
…guards go
beyond
patrolling and
proactively use
all the tools at
their disposal to
keep order on
the property
Involves a
substantial cost to
the motel
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Appendix 45
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
16. 27 Prohibiting
"back-in"
parking
Reduces motels'
appeal to
criminals; gives
guards an
opportunity to
engage violators
…motels are
located in or
near states that
do not require a
front license
plate
Signs prohibiting
this practice must
be posted; guests
may not
understand the
restriction
17. 27 Inspecting the
rooms of
guests who
refuse maid
service or
behave
suspiciously
after check-in
Limits the
amount of time
guests have total
control over the
use of rooms
…motels employ
security guards
or other staff
who are trained
in recognizing
drug
paraphernalia
Situations
involving
suspected
clandestine drug
labs or sales are
dangerous, and
police involvement
is recommended
Changing the Physical Environment
18. 28 Limiting access
to the property
Problem guests
and visitors can
be screened out
at the front desk
…direct room
access or use of
the property by
people not
associated with
the motel is a
source of the
problem
Involves a cost to
the motel; police
and other
emergency
personnel must
have access to the
property
19. 29 Installing and
monitoring
CCTV
Increases the
risk offenders
will get caught
engaging in illicit
or undesirable
behavior
…the motel has
only a few
identifiable
problem areas
Involves a cost to
the motel
20. 29 Installing
adequate
lighting, and
improving the
visibility at
blind corners
with mirrors
Increases the
risk offenders
will be detected
…problems
occur at night
and in the
motel's public
areas
Involves a cost to
the motel
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
46 Disorder at Budget Motels
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
21. 30 Landscaping
and maintaining
the property in
a way that
minimizes
crime
opportunities
and maximizes
the perception
of ownership
Sends the
message that the
location is
unsuitable for
criminal activity
…it is done in
conjunction with
access control,
and strict guest
and visitor
screening
Involves a cost to
the motel
22. 30 Establishing
redesign and
property
improvement
incentives
Provides motel
owners with
resources or
benefits for
upgrading
properties or
improving their
security features
…motels are
interested in
serving a
legitimate
clientele, but lack
the resources to
attract legitimate
customers
May involve a cost
to the jurisdiction
and/or the motel
Fostering Responsibility Among Motel Owners and Managers for Maintaining Safe Lodging
23. 31 Informing
owners and
managers about
problems on
site
Removes excuses
on the part of
owners and
managers
…the problem
motels are
concerned about
their reputation
or the threat of
abatement
Requires ongoing
staff support to
forward crime-anddisorder statistics
to motels and
conduct follow-up
meetings
24. 32 Requiring that a
manager be on
the property at
all times
Ensures that the
property will
have 24-hour
oversight
…a manager can
live in the motel
Involves a cost to
the motel
25. 32 Encouraging
owners to sign
"good neighbor
agreements"
Creates a formal
record of
specific
management
practices agreed
to by a problem
motel
…the agreedupon practices
can be easily
monitored
The consequences
of violating the
agreement should
be spelled out
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Appendix 47
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
26. 32 Offering
employee
training
programs
Provides
employees with
information that
can help them
run safe motels;
ensures
employees are
aware of
pertinent
regulations
…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
Requires ongoing
staff support to
develop,
coordinate, and
conduct the
training
Establishing and Enforcing Regulations and Penalties
27. 33 Limiting
occupancy to
no more than
28 days in a 90-
day period, and
evicting
problem tenants
Prevents
occupants from
becoming legal
tenants at motels
not designed for
long-term stays;
removes
problem guests
…guests staying
longer than
seven days
undergo morethorough
screening
procedures, such
as credit and
reference checks
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
28. 33 Conducting
regulatory
inspections and
audits
Ensures that
buildings meet
codes designed
to protect guests
and visitors
…city/county
agencies
coordinate
efforts
Requires ongoing
staff support to
coordinate and
conduct
inspections/audits
29. 34 Implementing
licensing
requirements
for lodging
establishments,
including
minimum
security,
sanitation, and
management
standards
Ensures that
motels meet
minimum
standards of
operation
specifically
developed for
overnight
lodging
establishments
…a significant
number of a
jurisdiction's
motels operate in
a substandard
way
Requires
significant political
support to be
instituted, as well
as ongoing
resources to
manage the
licensing program
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
48 Disorder at Budget Motels
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations
30. 35 Enacting special
regulations for
adult motels
Targets those
motels most
likely to generate
a high number
of service calls
by limiting their
operations in
various ways
…problems at
the motels stem
from
prostitution, and
compliance with
regulations can
be easily
monitored
Exemptions may
need to be made
for legitimate
hourly rentals such
as those for
corporate
hospitality suites
31. 35 Requiring a
performance
bond or other
changes at the
property in
exchange for
continued
business
operation
Gives police
financial leverage
over problem
motels
…problem
motels have
sufficient
resources and
incentive to take
out a bond
Requires legal
support and clear
evidence of
significant
problems at a
property
32. 36 Seeking cost
recovery for
excessive city
time spent at
problem motels
Jurisdictions
calculate the
value of officer
or other staff
time required to
address
problems at a
motel
…one or two
motels are
extreme outliers
with respect to
calls-for-service
ratios
May require legal
action
33. 36 Closing the
property
Problem motels
can no longer
operate
…motel owners
have actively
allowed crime to
occur on the
property
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
34. 38 Using asset
forfeiture or
seizure
Jurisdictions
assume
ownership of
property used
for illicit
purposes
…the property
can be relatively
easily sold or
converted to
other uses
Faces legal
challenges
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Appendix 49
Response
No.
Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If… Considerations Responses With Limited Effectiveness
35. 38 Continually
arresting
offenders at
problem
properties
Intended to
remove problem
guests from
motels and deter
them from
returning
…arrests are
used to build a
case against
owners regarding
poor guest
screening
Except for casebuilding, this is not
shown to be an
effective use of
officer time
36. 39 Conducting
field interviews
of people at
problem motels,
and traffic
stops of
vehicles leaving
them;
scheduling extra
police patrols
of problem
motels
Intended to
deter problem
guests from
frequenting
motels
…the measures
are used to
better
understand what
attracts problem
guests to the
motels
Except for datagathering, this is
not shown to be
an effective use of
officer time
37. 39 Implementing
Crime-Free
Hotel/Motel
programs
Intended to
promote
voluntary
compliance with
good
management
practices
Focuses on
process rather than
outcomes
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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).
Item 16.B.
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Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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).
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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).
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.gov/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.
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February 13, 2024
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.
Item 16.B.
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Item 16.B.
February 13, 2024
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.
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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.
Item 16.B.
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Item 16.B.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Item 16.B.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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 Item 16.B.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
ISBN: 1-932582-41-X
Updated Date: January 25, 2005
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