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.

IntroductionResearch and Times SquareMethodological Notes For a Times Square Field Station by Bill Kornblum and Terry WilliamsVisual Ethnography by Steve Sifaneck and Robert P. McNamaraThe Social Landscape: Hustlers, Merchants and Peep ShowsThe Nature of Male Prostitution by Robert P. McNamaraThe Incense Merchant on Times Square: The Black Muslim Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Steve Duncombe, Steve Sifaneck, and Andras SzantoDramaturgy and the Social Organization of Peep Shows by Robert P. McNamaraThe Changing Face of Times SquareThe Forty-Second Street Development Project by Shane NewmarkThe Times Square BID and its Role in Changing the Face of Times Square by Gretchen DykstraThe Midtown Community Court Experiment by Michelle Sviridoff and John FineblattLaw Enforcement in Times Square 1970s-1990s by William DalyTaking it to the Streets: Outreaching to Youth in Times Square by Marie BresnahanReferencesIndex