For this assignment, I have found that there are two theoretical models that best describe the crime of prostitution. More specifically, this paper examines mostly the role of women in the prostitution ring and the reasons they get into this form of criminal behavior. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.), the total arrest that the police made in 2011 for prostitution was approximately 44,000, which includes male/females and all races (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2011). The F.B.I. defines prostitution as:
The unlawful promotion of or participation in sexual activities for profit, including attempts. To solicit customers or transport persons for prostitution purposes; to own, manage, or operate a dwelling or other establishment for the purpose of providing a place where prostitution is performed; or to otherwise assist or promote prostitution (Federal Bureau of Investigations, 2010: N.P.)
The F.B.I. Uniform Crime Report shows that of the 44,000 arrests made by the police, approximately 760 of them were under the age of 18 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2011). This also tells us that prostitution is not only limited to adults but also juveniles.
According to Siegel (2011), there are many reasons why both males/females turn to the life of prostitution. One reason in particular, which has an impact on this lifestyle, is people that are brought up in dysfunctional homes that are found in small urban areas. Also sexual abuse from family members or people that are close to them plays a huge role. Lastly, substance abuse can also be a factor for being a prostitute because they need to find that next fix and selling their services can get them what they need for their addition. Furthermore, Siegel (20...
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...nment, I have briefly explained two different theories on why people engage in the criminal act of prostitution. There is evidence in both these theories that prostitutes are set up for failure in our society; whether it’s through the general strain theory of being stressed out or the labeling theory of people in power labeling them as prostitutes. Siegel (2011), states that prostitution used to be legal in the United States and became illegal because of the influx of immigrants into the US. Prostitution became labeled as a disease, which lead to laws being passed to make it illegal. Furthermore, should the United States legalize prostitution again? According to Siegel (2011), people have a “free choice” to do what they please. Also most prostitutes view it as a victimless crime. In the end, we are living in a different age then those that wrote the laws years ago.
In the following assignment, it is my intention to produce a research report, examining women involved in street prostitution and how they end up entering the criminal justice system. Within the report I will look at three pieces of research, review their main findings, the type of research that was used, and look to identify where I believe further research is required. My reason for choosing women in the criminal justice system is that I have expressed an interest in the criminal justice setting and my elective module is in this area. Anything that I learn from undertaking this assignment will aid my understanding and increase my knowledge base when undertaking my second placement. Prostitution has been defined as: "Prostitution involves the exchange of sexual services, sometimes but by no means exclusively
Prostitution To understand the relationship between sex trafficking, prostitution and drug use, it must first be understood how sex trafficking and prostitution are related. Although many people are familiar with what prostitution entails, Kubasek and Herrera define it as the engaging, agreeing to engage, or offering to engage in sexual acts or contacts with another person in return for a fee (2015). The authors define sex trafficking as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act (2015). Something that many do not realize is that individuals who may be victims of trafficking are commonly located while they are engaging in prostitution, and are then criminalized instead of offered the protection and support they often desperately need. Our current legal system does not handle trafficking cases as a means of prostitution.
Prostitution is the provision of sexual services for negotiated payments between consenting adults. So defined, prostitution is a service industry like any other in which people exchange skills for money or other rewards. Johnson has defined prostitution as “the act of offering oneself for hire to engage in sexual relations” (Johnson 717). In addition, according to Ariza Ahmed, "Prostitution may be the world's oldest profession" (Ariza 1). Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms, two examples are street prostitution where it is more common to see, and also in escort prostitution where the act may take place at the client's residence, hotel room or private clubs. Although, generally the majority of prostitutes usually are female with male clients, but also there are gay male prostitutes, lesbian prostitutes, and heterosexual male prostitutes. One example of this service is sex tourism, which refers to traveling to engage in sexual relations with prostitutes. Since long before human beings were fully human, due to the fact that males have in general wanted more sex than females. And the basic laws of economics will inevitably meet any demand met by someone willing to supply, if the price is right. Also, as chimpanzees trade food for sex, human society ever recorded has a certain fraction of women who, for a fee, will provide sex to men outside of formal relationships such as marriage. In addition, in pre-industrial times between 1750-1850, Miller explains that sex work was one of the few ways a woman could make a good living for herself, and it is estimated that in the nineteenth century about 5.5% of the female population of the typical European or North American city was thus employed (Miller A16). For years later, sex work cont...
In the article 'Legalized Prostitution' the author, Mark Liberator, shares his views on legalizing prostitution. He believes because of women's specialized roles in society, they should be allowed to use sex as a service that can be bartered for goods and money, and by using these specialized roles, the author explains that allowing prostitution in the United States could lower a majority of murder and rape cases, and can decrease the amount of suicides and divorces. By making prostitution legal, Liberator also thinks that it will allow law enforcement to respond faster to more important crimes, help women that use prostitution as a career path, and will prevent teens from being trapped into prostitution. Though Liberator states his case strongly, and has statistics that help prove his point, his logic has holes that could even make cocaine, heroin, and other illegal drugs legal. Liberator states that our primal desires should not be ignored or suppressed, but instead should be managed. If this is the case, then should our first instincts to lie, cheat, steal, and kill should also be managed? No. Managing these things, and not suppressing them, means that we are making it legal to rob stores, lie about it, and kill anyone who disagrees with our reasons as to why we?ve committed the crime. Not only that, but if we make prostitution legal, it is possible that there could be an overflow of prostitutes, that would create larger drug chains, which could ruin our countries credibility as a safe place to live. I feel that legalizing prostitution is the first small step to that future, and that we should avoid making prostitution tolerable in America.
Prostitution, as stated by Flemming, is known as a form of sexual activity, a kind of sexual style or category, and a form of economic activity, a way of making a living through the provisions of certain services, by behaving in accordance with, or falling into such a category (39). This definition, though, is controversial. While conducting research for this project, we found that most topics regarding prostitution and its affiliates were controversial. Each author gave a differing interpretation for the same data. Due to this, our project centered on the female prostitutes, even though there is evidence of male prostitutes.
Murphy, L. S. (2010). Understanding the Social and Economic Contexts Surrounding Women Engaged In Street-Level Prostitution. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31(12), 775-784.
What encourages women to seek prostitution as a work form. Prostitutes who voluntarily sell themselves for sexual purposes often find this as a simple method to increase their income. Essentially, these women are not being forced to perform these sexual actions making them delinquents. "It is the fastest-growing business of organized crime and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world" (FBI Human Sex Trafficking).
As prostitution is criminalized, this profession is driven underground which undermines the safety of prostitutes. Legalizing prostitution would provide sex workers with regulatory protection and allow this form of work to be recognized as legitimate. As the author of “Think Again: Prostitution” states, “evidence shows, that criminalization of sale or purchase (or both) makes sex workers-many of whom come from marginalized social groups like women, minorities, and the poor-more vulnerable to violence and discrimination committed by law enforcement. Also, criminalization can dissuade sex workers from seeking help from authorities if they are raped, trafficked, or otherwise abused.” Therefore, sex workers are subjected to unfair treatment that could be prevented if this work was legalized and safe conditions were enforced. The author of "Counterpoint: Prostitution Should Be Legalized” states, “prostitution is legalized and regulated in a variety of developed nations throughout ...
In The demand: Where Sex Trafficking Begins written by Donna M. Hughes a weakness in her style of writing and a crucial factor is that Hughes is very harsh when talking about men. When she talks about men she disgraces all of the men out there, even the men that do not support prostitution. “It is men who create the demand, and women and children who are the supply.” (Hughes, D., 267 2004). Understanding that men most likely do make up more than half of the demand for prostitution but there are women who support the
Moreover, there is an array of cases regarding drug use: those who do not use drugs; those who became addicted after entering prostitution; those who resort to prostitution to support the habit; and those who are primarily addicts and exchange sexual favors for cocaine. The society is largely male-dominated, with pimps and fixers controlling the women and who they interact with; there are also numerous cases of violence perpetrated by pimps as well as customers. Another theme that is revealed is the dynamic of escaping prostitution and how these
Elizabeth Anderson makes a claim that “The attempt to sell gift value on the market makes a mockery of those values.”(Anderson 188) Anderson uses this claim to object commoditized sex (prostitution). There are two premises that Anderson uses to support her claim. The first premise being the gift value of sex cannot be realized in commercial terms and the second premise being that the gift value of sex is more significant that the use value of sex itself.
Prostitution has been as issue in many societies around the world for almost all of recorded history. There has been evidence of brothels and prostitution dating far back into human history. Many different societies have different views, ideals, and reservation about the matter. Some cultures around the world view it as a necessary evil for people who need to support themselves and their families. Others view it as morally evil and socially destructive; helping to rot our society from the inside out. Even still there are cultures who don’t view it as evil at all and even a normal part of life. A person’s view on the act is formed largely based on the culture they are living in. Even sub cultures inside of larger one can have different view on the matter, such as religious groups that denounce it, to some groups in the same culture that say it is okay. Even the gauge of how industrialized a country can determine how that culture views prostitution, with many third world countries being more lenient on the matter, and many first world countries being much more strict on the matter, such as the some of the countries in Europe and also the United States.
Prostitution is looked down on as an immoral activity. Some people do not even consider it to be a profession. It is indeed morally wrong but maybe it is considered so because of social norms. Women who participate in this profession are seen as harlots and tramps and a disgraceful member of society. Some of these women are addicted to drugs, they have no other choice but to be involved in the profession while others have been coerced into it. Most of their backgrounds involve terrible role models while others have parents that forced them into doing these acts.
Throughout America and the entire world, prostitution flourishes. Prostitution is another never ending war like abortion, which society feels is immoral. This immorality leads functionalists, who apply functionalism to this social problem, on a chase to figure out why prostitution is what it is today. Functionalism is the best theory for looking at prostitution. It allows us to see how prostitution changes along with other aspects of society.
Little do most know, but on “[a]verage [prostitution] arrest[s], court and incarceration costs amount to nearly $2,000 per arrest. Cities spend an average of 7.5 million dollars on prostitution control every year, ranging from 1 million dollars to 23 million dollars.” Prostitution is the oldest known profession. Currently in 49 countries and counting prostitution is legal. Here in America there is a stigma following the label prostitute. We would rather resort to underground markets of sex labor. Endangering health, rights, and economics. Legalizing prostitution can reduce health hazards by giving heath care, also by giving rights to those that choose prostitution as their profession. In the long term this