PROCURING IN FRANCE - PROFITS, COST OF REPRESSION, FRESH PROFITS

• NCJ Number: 55112
• Journal: Revue internationale de criminologie et de police technique Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1978) Pages: 123-130
• Author(s): J SCELLES
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Revue Internationale de Criminologie et de Police Technique
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: French
• Country: Switzerland

Annotation

THE CRIME OF PROCURING, MEANS OF ESTIMATING PROFITS FROM PROCURING AND COSTS FOR CONTROLS, AND THE USE OF LEGAL ACTION TO RECOVER PROFITS FOR FINANCING OF SOCIAL ACTION IN FRANCE ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

PROCURING IS TYPICALLY AN URBAN CRIME, DOMINATED BY MALES IN THE AGE GROUP OF GREATEST CRIME INVOLVEMENT (18 TO 35 YEARS OLD). ACCORDING TO POLICE ESTIMATES, THERE ARE 15,000 PROCURERS IN FRANCE, 35 TO 40 PERCENT OF THEM IN PARIS, BUT ONLY ONE 10TH OF THEM ARE CONVICTED. DIFFICULTIES IN PREPARING CONVINCING COURT CASES ARISE FROM SUCH FACTORS AS PROCURERS' LIFE STYLE AND MOBILITY AND FROM RETICENCE OF VICTIMS TO REPORT CRIMES; POLICE INVESTIGATIONS ARE LIMITED TO COHABITATION OF PIMPS AND PROSTITUTES, TO IDLERS' MEANS OF SUPPORT, AND MOST SUCCESSFULLY, TO SETTLING OF ACCOUNTS AMONG PROCURERS. PROFITS FROM PROCURING, ESTIMATED AT 7 BILLION FRANCS IN 1975, CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED APPROXIMATELY ON THE BASIS OF RATES AND NUMBERS OF PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME PROSTITUTES; INCREASED CONTROL AS THE RESULT OF A NEW LAW IN 1975 HAS LED TO THE CLOSING OF HOTELS USED BY PROSTITUTES, BUT ALSO TO HIGHER RATES, SO THAT PROFITS HAVE PROBABLY NOT BEEN REDUCED. CRIME CONTROL COSTS, ON THE OTHER HAND, DERIVE FROM PREVENTION MEASURES SUCH AS CLOSING NIGHT CLUBS, BARS, AND OTHER CONTACT SPOTS, FROM SPECIALIZED POLICE LEGAL SERVICES, AND FROM IMPRISONMENT. THE PLAN IS TO FINE PROCURERS, THEREBY DEFRAYING COSTS TO THE PUBLIC. CITIZENS' ACTION, ALLOWED SINCE THE 1975 LAWS, AND ASSOCIATIONS TO THAT END SEEK TO OBTAIN DAMAGES THROUGH THE COURTS AS A MEANS OF FINANCING PREVENTIVE MEASURES AND RESOCIALIZATION OF VICTIMS, AS WELL AS OF OFFERING A RECOURSE TO PROSTITUTES. COURTS HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE THAT RECOVERY OF ILLEGAL PROFITS MAY CURB DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS RACKETEERING AND GROWTH OF A POLITICAL MAFIA. A EUROPEAN AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION IS RECOMMENDED. ONE TABLE IS SUPPLIED.