Latest Prostitution Arrests
- posted by Jim Leitzel @ 2:18 PM

Regular Vice Squad readers will recall that I object to the criminalization of adult prostitution. But given that we have a prohibitory regime, some enforcement aimed at least some types of prostitution is probably required. Streetwalking, in particular, should be controlled, although toleration of streetwalking within designated zones doesn't sound like a bad policy to me. At any rate, what we get is occasional sting operations that often catch up otherwise upstanding citizens. Here are some of the latest successes in the war against prostitution:

(1) Eleven women were charged with soliciting following a sting operation in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Monday night.

(2) Five men were arrested on suspicion of solicitation for prostitution during a reverse sting operation in Lodi, California, on Tuesday afternoon. The police sergeant who organized the operation noted, seemingly wistfully, that many more men appeared to be interested, but did not actually go far enough in soliciting to merit an arrest.

(3) In Gwinnett County, Georgia, police raided a massage parlor in February and arrested two women for prostitution. They also seized credit card receipts. An investigation of the receipts led to the resignation of one of their own officers (registration required), who reportedly had visited the parlor on unofficial business in January. Last year, another Gwinnett officer was arrested "and charged with felony counts of bribery after allegedly alerting massage parlors of upcoming prostitution raids."

Labels: policing, Prohibition, prostitution