SWEEPING THE STREETS - A RETURN TO THE OLD MORALITY PUTS NEW PRESSURE ON CITY POLICE

• NCJ Number: 54491
• Journal: Police Magazine Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 54-62
• Author(s): H B NOBLE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Criminal Justice Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PROBLEMS FACED BY URBAN POLICE AGENCIES IN ATTEMPTING TO CRACK DOWN ON PROSTITUTION AND COMMERCIAL SEX ESTABLISHMENTS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO SITUATIONS IN BOSTON, MASS., AND NEW YORK, N.Y.

Abstract

AN INFORMAL SURVEY REVEALED THAT POLICE IN MANY CITIES ARE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS, AND POLITICIANS TO CRACK DOWN ON PROSTITUTION, MASSAGE PARLORS, PORNOGRAPHY BUSINESSES, AND OTHER SEX ESTABLISHMENTS. NEW YORK OFFICIALS ESTIMATE THAT IT IS COSTING AT LEAST $3 MILLION TO STAFF A SPECIAL MIDTOWN VICE SQUAD. OTHER CITIES HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BEEF UP VICE SQUADS. POLICE ENCOUNTER MANY PROBLEMS IN ATTEMPTING TO ENFORCE PROSTITUTION LAWS. MAKING CASES AGAINST PROSTITUTES IS DIFFICULT AT THE VERY LEAST AND MAY EXPOSE OFFICERS TO LEGAL PROBLEMS OF THEIR OWN. IN MANY CITIES, THE GET-TOUGH ATTITUDE IS A REACTION TO THE PERMISSIVENESS OF THE EARLY 1970'S, WHEN CITY OFFICIALS WERE ACCEPTING THE NOTION THAT PROSTITUTION AND PORNOGRAPHY ARE VICTIMLESS CRIMES TO BE SOMEHOW ACCOMMODATED BY THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN STAMPED OUT. BEYOND THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN ENFORCING PROSTITUTION LAWS LIE SERIOUS QUESTIONS HAVING TO DO WITH THE RELATIONSHIP OF PROSTITUTION LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE CORRUPTION, AND WITH CIVIL LIBERTIES. IN BOSTON, THE CITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DECIDED IN 1974 TO SANCTION ADULT ENTERTAINMENT IN A FOUR-BLOCK AREA. THINGS GREW OUT OF HAND IN WHAT SOON BECAME KNOWN AS THE COMBAT ZONE, WITH PROSTITUTES MUGGING MEN ON THE STREETS. A POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERNAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED EXTENSIVE POLICE CORRUPTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMBAT ZONE. BOSTON HAS HAD TO DEVOTE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM IT CREATED. IN NEW YORK, TWO WOMEN WHO WERE MISTAKENLY ARRESTED AS PROSTITUTES HAVE BROUGHT A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE CITY. NEW YORK POLICE SAY THE TWO CASES WERE RARE EXCEPTIONS BUT ADMIT THAT THEY ARE UNDER GREAT PRESSURE TO INCREASE PROSTITUTION ARRESTS AND FREQUENTLY MAKE SUCH ARRESTS UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF DUBIOUS LEGALITY. NEW YORK AUTHORITIES NOTE THAT CRACKING DOWN ON PROSTITUTION IS A MATTER OF BALANCING THE RIGHTS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THAT THE BALANCE IS A TRICKY ONE. (LKM)