Thursday, November 06, 2008

WP: Fight Prostitution Near Parker

The Post reports on the efforts of Parker Street residents to fight prostitution in their area.

14 comments:

Tom A. said...

That would be a cool powerpoint presentation to see! Does anyone know Mr. Templeton?

Anonymous said...

It's not that exciting of a presentation -- mainly photographs of unsecured houses, dirty alleys, street corners, and sidewalks with used condoms. If you want excitement stop by tomorrow's oversight hearing...or watch it online.

Anonymous said...

Do people go to jail in DC for prostitution? I'm not being facetious or snarky with the question -- not intentionally, anyway. I know some crimes are handled more aggressively by the criminal justice system here, while the response to some other crimes seems like a set of revolving doors. Anyone know? Like what fraction of prostitution arrests result in someone serving jail time?

Anonymous said...

Do people go to jail in DC for prostitution?

Yes, though not for all that long.

Like what fraction of prostitution arrests result in someone serving jail time?

Not many for johns, because they plead and receive probation...or divert into "john school". Many for hookers, because they would rather plead and do time and be quickly back on the street. The whole thing is one big mess, which is why we are begging for reform.

Anonymous said...

Is the goal to help the prostitutes and John, to lock them up, or to just relocate them?

I don't know how you help people in particular the Johns, locking them up seems not to work, and relocating them would only push the problem elsewhere.

Any ideas for a solution?

-Robby

Anonymous said...

How about decriminalizing the whole enterprise? What does anyone care if these pathetic johns have to pay someone for sex, or if these worthless whores are selling themselves for money? Shoot, go one step further, legalize it, mandate STD testing and tax the crap out of it. Why waste any money locking up people that just want to f*ck and get paid??

Anonymous said...

anon 3:36, that makes too much sense. next thing you know, you won't want to lock people up for smoking pot.

Anonymous said...

Shoot, go one step further, legalize it, mandate STD testing and tax the crap out of it.

I would rather not carry on an extensive debate on FroTro, but tell me this -- in legalizing it, should it still be allowed to take place on the streets? If so, it won't change the fact I have to pick up used condoms off my sidewalk/street in the morning.

If proposing having brothels, where in the District do you propose they go? NIMBYists get anxious enough when a halfway house is considering moving to their neighborhood. I can only imagine the protests over a brothel.

Anonymous said...

Not on Parker:

Well, since having regular consenting sex is currently legal, but not legal to do in public, I would think that would answer your question, no? So much for the long debate.


-3:36

Anonymous said...

Is the goal to help the prostitutes and John, to lock them up, or to just relocate them?

It's pretty much all of what you stated: you arrest the johns and prostitutes, stick them in a diversion program to "help" them and keep them out of jail, and use curfews/stay away orders to move them out of the neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

NoP:

Sorry ---didn't catch the second half of your post for some reason.

As to the brothels, of course you'd get pushback but that's not even really the big argument here. The primary concern is individual behavior.

Not to mention that legalizing it (or decriminalizing it) may or may not lead to the creation of actual businesses (necessitating "brothels"), but if it did, you'd put them where the strip clubs or porn shops or sex toy stores are, right?.

I mean, seems like it'd be just like any other "sin" business, I don't see how that problem with it cuts against legalization.

--3:36

Anonymous said...

i like turtles.

Anonymous said...

and ur vacant house near NoMa, poopoo!

Anonymous said...

"Any ideas for a solution?"

Idea 1: Pepper spray laced condoms!

Idea 2: Start photographing the Whores, the Johns and their license plates and post them on a blog. (It seems to be working in Baltimore)

"http://baltimorejohnwatch.blogspot.com/"