ABSTRACT
In recent years, particularly in US cities, there has seemingly been a spectacular decline of traditional adult entertainment districts. 1 This is often attributed to increased policing, new land use controls, better enforcement of existing regulations and a general ‘get tough’ attitude towards such activities. Many point to New York City under Mayor Giuliani as an example of what can be done through ‘zero tolerance’ policing, new land use ordinances, new adult entertainment laws and stricter enforcement. However, the alleged success of zero tolerance ignores profound changes which have occurred in the field of adult entertainment and in the underlying moral climate since the 1960s. The article argues that it is these which have caused a decline in the number of outlets and led to their spatial deconcentration. These changes parallel those in the entertainment sector as a whole. It seems likely that zero tolerance itself is not the cause of decline and change, but rather that it has coincided with changes in the adult entertainment industry. In addition, the apparent success of zero tolerance ignores a shift in sales outlets for many adult products, from specialist stores to newsagents and mainstream stores.
