Theodore Howell
Return to Community Leader Interviews
This method cost 2%.
“I’m so glad to have this chance to talk to you. The principal complaint of the merchants in this district is the police department’s poor response to the street prostitution problem. I have copies of letters from merchants to the mayor and police department describing the prostitutes soliciting customers as they shop.
I have heard the police used to be more visible in the area, but now they are patrolling the upper end of Scott Avenue.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to lease my vacant storefronts to new businesses. The area has a bad reputation, and scares off potential investors. The most discouraging thing is that when the police do arrest a prostitute, the very same girl is back on the street within a few hours.”
Response Revealed
Ban prostitutes or clients from geographic areas.
Many courts order prostitutes and clients to stay out of specifically defined areas where street prostitution is prevalent, as a condition of either bail or probation. This practice is commonly referred to as "mapping" offenders out of areas. This practice may, however, displace prostitutes to more remote areas outside the prohibited zone, areas which may prove more hazardous to the prostitutes.
Response Revealed
Enhance fines/penalties for prostitution-related offenses committed within specified high-activity zones.
Some communities have enhanced penalties for prostitution-related offenses committed within specific geographic areas. These penalty enhancements are intended to move the street prostitution market to other locations so the target area can be redeveloped. You should be careful that the problem is not displaced to areas where the impact will be even worse.
Response Revealed
Intensively enforce prostitution laws against prostitutes and/or clients for short period.
In addition to routinely enforcing prostitution laws, the police often conduct intensive arrest campaigns against prostitutes, clients or both. These campaigns significantly increase the risks of arrest, at least temporarily, bringing large numbers of prostitutes and clients into the formal justice system. When combined with media coverage, the campaigns are intended to deter those arrested from offending again, and to deter potential clients. The campaigns’ deterrent value wears off over time, however. In high-volume arrest campaigns, the chances that police will arrest innocent people increase, unless they take special precautions. Without some follow-up court intervention or measures to change the environment, intensive enforcement campaigns only temporarily interrupt street prostitution, or move it elsewhere; they do not shut down a street prostitution market entirely.
