Strip Clubs in Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia: The Tension Between First Amendment Free Speech & Crime Related Secondary

Abstract

This paper investigates the adult entertainment industry, particularly strip clubs, for two cities in the United States. These are Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia. Portland and Atlanta rank first and fifth, respectively, on a list of cities with the highest strip clubs per 100,000 residents. State constitutions and legal precedent are outlined to provide reasons for these rankings and help distinguish between how Oregon and Georgia allow cities to regulate adult entertainment establishments. A tension exists between these establishmentsﾒ First Amendment right to free speech and plannersﾒ and citiesﾒ desire to prevent crime-related secondary effects. Key studies investigating the relationship between adult entertainment and crime will be reviewed. Additionally, an analysis of strip clubs and crime in Atlanta and Portland neighborhoods will help planners make recommendations to cities wishing to regulate adult entertainment in a way that will survive legal review.