NCJ Number
128337
Date Published
1990
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This report reviews possible options for dealing with the undesirable consequences of downtown "cruising" (slow driving down the main street, parking, and loitering) by juveniles and outlines the strategy used by Boise, Idaho, to address the problem.
Abstract
"Cruising" had become a problem in Boise as of 1988, as related reports to police ranged from citizen harassment, vandalism, and underage drinking to littering and urinating in public. Windows had been broken, and business parking lots had been trashed. Phase I of this study reports on the Boise Police Department's national survey to determine how other police departments have dealt with "cruising" and associated problems. This phase also reports on interviews with Boise "cruisers" regarding their reasons for "cruising" and changes they would like to see. Phase II of the study presents an overview of the issues identified by a task force on "cruising" appointed by the Boise mayor as well as task force recommendations for addressing the problem. Recommendations include the assignment of "cruising" to an area with the amenities required for "cruising" but without the potential to disrupt night-time businesses and traffic, the establishment of a storefront police station in the "cruise" area, and the re-establishment of a program of community-service sentencing for violators. Recommendations also pertain to lighting, the use of citations, and alternatives to "cruising." Phase III of the study covers the implementation of the recommendations.