kevinonpop22: Sp cq police community members

1. How concerned is the police department about street prostitution?

The police department seems to be moderately concerned about prostitution in the sense that they find it costly. Prosecutions that involve undercover officers posing as prostitutes tend to fall apart because of the entrapment defense.

2. How concerned is the community?

Community members are indeed concerned, and they protest city council meetings to talk about prostitution in their community.

3. What groups are particularly concerned and why? What specific concerns are expressed?

Most of the time, it's female residents whom are concerned, and other male residents who are just trying to live their lives. Many female residents fear for their safety, while male residents do not want to be solicited by some of the prostitutes. It is questionable as to whether banning prostitutes from specific areas actually work.

4. How organized and active are community members who oppose street prostitution?

Many of the community members seem to be organized rather well in opposing street prostitution. It is up to leaders to do something about it though.

5. What level of street prostitution are they willing to tolerate?

No amount of street prostitution at all.

kevinonpop22: Sp cq current response

1. What is the police department's current policy in dealing with street prostitution?

Police tend to enforce laws that criminalize prostitution, resulting in arrests of prostitutes. However, the consequences are often minimal and range from fines, probation, deferred prostitution, and minimal jail time. No deterrent effect at all.

2. What is the prosecutor's current policy regarding prostitution-related offenses?

Prosecutors tend to tackle prostitution-related offenses by working with their local police departments. Generally, they have their eyes on the clients themselves, and gathering evidence means asking prostitutes to cooperate with law enforcement as informants. This comes with challenges itself, since those who cooperate face retaliation.

3. What are the typical sentences handed out to those who are convicted?

Noticeably, prostitution seems to be taken more seriously when it involves youthful prostitutes. States have laws that prohibit prostitution of minors, and solicitation of prostitution can be classified as a felony.

4. Do the prostitutes and clients complete those sentences?

In most cases, prostitutes complete some sentences of probation, but then go right back to the streets again. The same goes for drug rehab and alcohol rehab, in both cases, addicts fall back into addiction.

5. What effect, if any, does the imposition of a sentence have on subsequent involvement in prostitution?

The imposition of a sentence is meant to have a deterrent effect, to warn everyone else who engages in prostitution that these are the consequences. However, the amount of repeat offenders takes a drain on criminal justice resources, and eventually judges will lose patience.

6. What responses do police officers use, other than arrest and prosecution?

Fines. Citations. Mere presence can deter prostitution, and patrolling areas where prostitution thrives can be a clear response.

7. Are any of these responses especially effective?

Not exactly. I question whether more criminalization of prostitution is needed, rather, more focus should be on the clients who buy prostitution services themselves. Prostitutes are a vulnerable population, the victims of poverty, coercion, or other mental health issues.

8. What social, health and substance abuse treatment services are available to assist prostitutes?

There are also financial programs, work assistance, housing, and healthcare meant to help former prostitutes recover.

9. Are prostitutes using available services?

Most of the time, some prostitutes are willing to seek and utilize support. It is not guaranteed however, that the support will solidify a change in habits, since some prostitutes can go right back to their old habits.

kevinonpop22: Sp cq clients johns

1. What is known about the clients (e.g., age, race, occupation, socio-economic status, marital status, criminal history, residence)?

Noticeably, many of the clients are men, often people with influence, people whom are richer, people who do not have a prior criminal history, and live in affluent areas.

2. How committed are clients to prostitution?

Clients seem to be very committed to prostitution, in the sense that they would drive miles to see a prostitute. One of the men interviewed said that finding prostitutes at a bar is easy because they hang around there. This suggests that prostitution has become so normalized, clients have an infinite supply.

3. What groups are particularly concerned and why? What specific concerns are expressed?

Some of the men expressed in interviews that they were afraid of being caught, because their friends and family would shame them. Stigma seems to be very effective at deterring prostitution, but some may raise questions about punitiveness or effectiveness.

4. How committed are they to soliciting prostitutes on the street or in a particular area?

From what I found, I was very surprised by how adaptive and willing people are in finding prostitutes. People do not always just stop a behavior, they just get better at hiding it.

kevinonpop22: Sp cq environment

1. Does street prostitution take place in more than one area?

Yes, street prostitution tends to take place in multiple areas. Clients tend to take prostitutes to areas where they are less likely to be caught.

2. What conditions make the area(s) attractive for street prostitution?

Private areas, presumably those with a lack of lighting, a lack of surveillance, a lack of law enforcement presence make it less likely for clients to get caught. Furthermore, prostitutes are less likely to call the police, not only could they not be believed, but criminalization could result in arrest.

3. If street prostitution occurs in several areas, how are they similar and different?

We consider places where prostitution is a problem. Hotels, businesses, bars, nightclubs, and streets are places where prostitutes are likely to hang out. Areas with lax security may turn a blind eye to prostitution.

4. What area businesses are harmed by the presence of street prostitution?

In general, outside apartments, many street-side businesses, markets, and places where people need to be can be harmed. Sometimes, parents may complain about prostitutes on the street, despite them not posing any physical harm.

5. What area businesses support and/or benefit from street prostitution?

Some businesses can benefit from prostitution unknowingly, since prostitutes and clients spent money, it's a source of revenue for them. This amount of revenue may cause businesses to turn a blind eye and allow prostitution to happen. In particular, sports bars see it as hangouts, and younger individuals according to them, "can do whatever they want as long as it doesn't cause harm." However, sometimes employees are the ones soliciting prostitutes.

6. Is the street prostitution market in each area old or new? Has it changed in size recently? If so, why?

The street prostitution market in each area can be new over time. Judging from the statistics provided, prostitution arrests have gone up, prostitution rings have gone up, and because it makes money, it keeps going up.

7. Do street prostitution areas have a reputation as being dangerous or safe for clients?

Yes, it has a reputation of being dangerous for prostitutes specifically due to the presence of drugs, and the inherent transactional nature of interactions. Clients are less likely to be caught, and even if they are, there is a grave risk of danger for prostitutes who are used as informants on clients.

8. Are street prostitution areas isolated, or busy with other activities?

Street prostitution areas seem to occur most in low-income areas stricken by poverty. It is especially concerning to see, for the most part.

9. What other types of crime occur in the area? How much is related to street prostitution?

Other crimes that occur include sexual assault, rape, drug crimes, drug deals, and significantly much worse. Prostitutes are a vulnerable group, due to age, status, nature of sex work, and the inability to reach resources. Poverty is also a major factor.

10. If street prostitution were forced out of a target area, where would you predict it might reappear?

Street prostitution will just reappear underground, or in a different community known for lax enforcement.

curti241: Sp cq current response

1. What is the police department's current policy in dealing with street prostitution?

The main strategy police use to control street prostitution is enforcing laws prohibiting soliciting, patronizing, and loitering for the purposes of prostitution. Street prostitutes can be valuable informants to police about other crimes, and the threat of enforcement gives the police leverage for information. In some jurisdictions, controlling street prostitution is left to the vice squad. Limiting patrol officers' involvement is intended to reduce corruption, but it can give the public the impression that only corrupt officers would ignore the problem.

2. What is the prosecutor's current policy regarding prostitution-related offenses?

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.

3. What are the typical sentences handed out to those who are convicted?

minimal - hard to prove

4. Do the prostitutes and clients complete those sentences?

Sometimes but many fail to appear for hearing and court dates

5. What effect, if any, does the imposition of a sentence have on subsequent involvement in prostitution?

once they get released they go back - one ofc said they have arrested some prostitute 30 plus time. While the severity of the penalties against prostitutes does appear to affect the volume of prostitution, modest fines against prostitutes may actually force them to commit more prostitution to pay the fines. Prostitutes who are prosecuted are usually convicted, but many of them fail to show up for court hearings.

6. What responses do police officers use, other than arrest and prosecution?

File nuisance abatement actions against businesses that support prostitution, ticket and fine prostitutes work hard to develop a good rapport with street prostitutes to persuade them to report juvenile prostitutes, violent clients, client robbery, etc., and to give evidence against pimps. Prostitutes who assist the police may require extra protection because they risk violent retaliation.

7. Are any of these responses especially effective?

Not necessarily, once a prostitute is released they go back to the street. Some go back to continue to pay for drugs, or pay of their citation

8. What social, health and substance abuse treatment services are available to assist prostitutes?

some but they have to trust they will not get reported

9. Are prostitutes using available services?

yes

curti241: Sp cq street prostitutes

1. Does street prostitution take only one form (e.g., female prostitutes and male clients), or are there several different forms (e.g., homosexual or transvestite prostitution)?

both but primarily male/female

2. What is known about the prostitutes (e.g., age, gender, race, criminal history, social service history, substance abuse history, residence)?

mostly female, typically with substance abuse history

3. Do street prostitutes commit crimes against clients (e.g., robbery or theft)?

yes

4. Are street prostitutes the victims of crime?

yes

5. How committed are prostitutes to prostitution?

very, they gotta make the money!!

6. How committed are they to a particular location?

very - it is a reliable location they are familiar with

curti241: Sp cq sexual transactions

1. How, specifically, do street prostitutes and clients negotiate and complete sexual transactions?

Through financial or drugs trasactions

2. Do clients solicit prostitutes on foot or from a vehicle?

on foot

3. Where do the sexual transactions take place?

in cars or parking lots

4. Do prostitutes and clients take precautions to prevent sexually-transmitted disease?

yes

curti241: Sp cq police community members

1. How concerned is the police department about street prostitution?

Very concerned: The main strategy police use to control street prostitution is enforcing laws prohibiting soliciting, patronizing, and loitering for the purposes of prostitution. Street prostitutes can be valuable informants to police about other crimes, and the threat of enforcement gives the police leverage for information. In some jurisdictions, controlling street prostitution is left to the vice squad. Limiting patrol officers' involvement is intended to reduce corruption, but it can give the public the impression that only corrupt officers would ignore the problem.

2. How concerned is the community?

Very concerned

3. What groups are particularly concerned and why? What specific concerns are expressed?

Non-benefitting community members

4. How organized and active are community members who oppose street prostitution?

only somewhat - they encourage protests against it

5. What level of street prostitution are they willing to tolerate?

little to none - if so they should be more regulated

curti241: Sp cq pimps

1. Do the prostitutes work for pimps or others who profit from their income?

curti241: Sp cq environment

1. Does street prostitution take place in more than one area?

Yes, but all on the same street

2. What conditions make the area(s) attractive for street prostitution?

Abandon building, poor lighting

3. If street prostitution occurs in several areas, how are they similar and different?

they have the same lack of lighting and care for the surrounding areas

4. What area businesses are harmed by the presence of street prostitution?

Mason Engineering is harmed because employees leave to solicit prostitutes, businesses on scott avenue loose business because the murder of a prostitute

5. What area businesses support and/or benefit from street prostitution?

The Secrete Inn at 388 Scott ave benefits; the Package Liquor Store benefits, as long as they show ID; Team Sports bar 1313 Scotts ave benefits as long as they do not cause a disturbance. Since the homicide Peachtree Mall benefits because people are afraid of the area

6. Is the street prostitution market in each area old or new? Has it changed in size recently? If so, why?

Old, but increased because of the upper end of scott ave has attracted new, younger crowd to the area. When they close, the travel to the down side of scott ave for a good time

7. Do street prostitution areas have a reputation as being dangerous or safe for clients?

Generally dangerous because of assaults, and the recent murder

8. Are street prostitution areas isolated, or busy with other activities?

busy with other activities but predominately for prosititution

9. What other types of crime occur in the area? How much is related to street prostitution?

Sex offense, drug offenses, most having some relationship to prostitution - domestic/simple assault, loitering, larceny, LFA, homicide

10. If street prostitution were forced out of a target area, where would you predict it might reappear?

in neighboring jurisdictions - one officer said it get displaced to other locations

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