CONTROLLING DRUG AND DISORDER PROBLEMS: THE ROLE OF PLACE MANAGERS* LORRAINE GREEN MAZEROLLE COLLEEN KADLECK JAN ROEHL University of Cincinnati Justice Research Center zyxwvu This article explores the role of place managers in controlling drug and disorder problems on 100 street blocks in Oakland, California. We use self-reports zyxwv from a sample of place managers to explore their role in changing the social and physical conditions of street-block activity within the context of a randomized field trial in Oakland. On-site observations of the changes in the social and physical conditions of 100 street blocks were conducted and used as our outcome measures. Our results suggest that street blocks where place managers engaged in col- lective crime control activities had significantly fewer signs of disorder and greater levels of civil behavior. Our results also show that commu- nity cohesiveness on a street block was associated with fewer males sell- ing drugs. Consensual crimes, like drug dealing, need amenable places. Places are amenable when some of their features increase the likelihood that a crime will occur. For example, places located near bars (Green, zyx 1996; Roncek and Bell, 1981; Roncek and Maier, 1991), places that have multiple access points (Beavon et al., 1994; Eck, 1994; Green, 1996), places near main throughways (Weisburd and Green, 1994), places with weak place man- agement (Eck, 1994), and places with indicators of decay (Green, 1996; Wilson and Kelling, 1982) all tend to be places where people choose to sell drugs. Recognizing the importance of place attributes in explaining criminal events, Eck (1994) recently extended routine activities theory to address the significance of amenable places and the role of “place managers” who zy * Our research was supported by grant 95-IJ-CX-0039 from the National Institute of Justice to the University of Cincinnati. Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. The authors are indebted to the support from the Oakland Police Department; special appreciation goes to Sergeant Tom Hogenmiller, Daphne Markham, Michael Pellino, Dave Walsh, and the police officers, service technicians, and support staff of the Beat Health Unit. CRIMINOLOGY VOLUME 36 NUMBER 2 1998 371