NCJ Number
225259
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 36 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2008 Pages: 522-528
Date Published
November 2008
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study examined the displacement practices of the customers of prostitutes also known as johns.
Abstract
The findings demonstrated that the customers of prostitutes respond to police tactics by changing their offending habits and utilizing new resources to identify targets. The Internet and computer mediated communications are a key resource for johns to exchange information on prostitution and sexual services. Forum users could quickly and easily identify sex workers in multiple venues based on location, appearance, and sexual practices. Posters also provided detailed information on the presence of law enforcement, active stings, and changes in patrol tactics. Additionally, it was found that johns’ decisionmaking calculus was informed by their knowledge of law enforcement initiatives in their area. Johns appeared to recognize the risk of police actions and engaged in multiple forums of displacement to reduce their likelihood of detection. Access to Web forums also appeared to influence the decisionmaking process of johns based on their perceptions of the risks associated with pursuing illicit sexual activity. Data were collected from 10 city-specific public Web forums run by and for individuals who either post about or actually visit prostitutes. Tables, notes, and references