Sex, Scams, and Street Life: The Sociology of New York City's Times Square

For more than 60 years, Times Square has reigned as one of New York's premiere tourist attractions. In recent years, an average of 20 million people visit New York City, and Times Square is a sight most do not miss. The reason for this is that Times Square holds something for everyone: theaters, restaurants, entertainment, and a transportation center that brings almost 400,000 people into the city every day. For a sociologist interested in studying crime and the ways in which deviant networks and communities emerge, Times Square offers numerous opportunities. Because large segments of these groups pride themselves on anonymity, many researchers employ ethnographic research methods. The articles in this manuscript focus on the various aspects of Time Square using the ethnographic approach. The topics include the sex trade, drugs and drug dealing, recent redevelopment efforts, the social ecology of Times Square, and a discussion of police operations in this marketplace.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Research and Times Square Methodological Notes For a Times Square Field Station by Bill Kornblum and Terry Williams Visual Ethnography by Steve Sifaneck and Robert P. McNamara The Social Landscape: Hustlers, Merchants and Peep Shows The Nature of Male Prostitution by Robert P. McNamara The Incense Merchant on Times Square: The Black Muslim Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Steve Duncombe, Steve Sifaneck, and Andras Szanto Dramaturgy and the Social Organization of Peep Shows by Robert P. McNamara The Changing Face of Times Square The Forty-Second Street Development Project by Shane Newmark The Times Square BID and its Role in Changing the Face of Times Square by Gretchen Dykstra The Midtown Community Court Experiment by Michelle Sviridoff and John Fineblatt Law Enforcement in Times Square 1970s-1990s by William Daly Taking it to the Streets: Outreaching to Youth in Times Square by Marie Bresnahan References Index

About the Author :
ROBERT P. MCNAMARA is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Furman University. He is the author of The Times Square Hustler: Male Prostitution in New York City (Praeger, 1994), Crime Displacement: The Other Side of PreventionThe Urban Landscape: Selected Readings with Kristy McNamara (1995), Managing A Deviant Status: Field Research and the Labeling Perspective with Deanna Ramey and Linda Henry (1995), Sex, Drugs, and HIV (forthcoming), and Police and Policing with Dennis Kenney (forthcoming). He has been a consultant for state, federal, and private agencies on topics such as AIDS, drug abuse, policing, and gang violence.