Lacy

Street prostitutes typically need help if they are to quit prostitution. They often need drug and alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, transitional housing, case management, peer support/mentoring, child care, job training, health care, confidential HIV testing, psychological counseling, transportation, self-defense training, legal aid, and employment assistance.

Some communities offer a service-and-support network through either precharge or postcharge diversion programs, and some even offer these programs on the street, with no formal connection to the criminal justice system. Although these programs do not necessarily persuade many prostitutes to quit, they seem essential for those who are motivated to do so, and they can be effective in reducing some of the risks to street prostitutes, such as sexually transmitted disease and assault.

A small percentage of prostitutes and pimps may be responsible for most of the complaints in a prostitution area. If you can establish this, you might more productively target your efforts at those few, rather than at the larger population of offenders.

Improved lighting reduces the attractiveness of certain areas for street prostitution because it reduces the level of privacy prostitutes and clients seek to negotiate and complete their transactions. Motion-sensitive lighting is useful for secluded areas like alleys and doorways.