Juvenile Justice
Gangs Finding Child Prostitution a Less-Risky Alternative to Drug Sales
Posted Oct 27, 2009 5:10 PM CST
By Martha Neil
As authorities yesterday announced charges against nearly 700 individuals and the arrest of 60 accused pimps in a 36-city child-prostitution sweep over a three-day period, the New York Times takes a detailed look at some of the related social issues that make enforcement—and getting endangered teens off the street—difficult.
Often abused or neglected, runaways may sell their bodies to avoid going home or being sent into foster care, the newspaper reports. It discusses at length the experience of now 17-year-old Nicole Clark, who ran away at 14, bartered sex for a place to stay and was then pressured into prostitution by her boyfriend. She felt trapped into this arrangement, Clark tells the newspaper, "in a way I can't really explain."
Especially with older teens, the legal system traditionally has treated them as criminals rather than victims, even though older men often are involved in buying or selling the teens' sexual services, the Times recounts. Its article is based on a two-year investigation.
The problem of child prostitution is "definitely worsening,” Boston Police Sgt. Kelley O’Connell tells the newspaper, echoing the views of law enforcement officials in dozens of cities. "Gangs used to sell drugs. Now many of them have shifted to selling girls because it’s just as lucrative but far less risky.”
A total of 52 children, including at least one 10-year-old, were rescued during a three-day child-prostitution sweep dubbed Operation Cross Country, announced yesterday by the FBI, the Associated Press reports.
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Comments
Andre
Oct 27, 2009 5:25 PM CST
This is ridiculous to imagine someone as young as ten years of age being forced to sell their bodies, as a means of survival. It is true that this type of crime is very difficult to control, but police may want to key in on the origin of the proble. Like most problems, the origin is the home. If the youth were treated with respect, and well educated on actions and consequences we would see a large decrease on crime in general. Especially crime where the victim is also the person commiting the act, such as prostitution.
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john
Oct 27, 2009 6:39 PM CST
We need mandatory death penalty for pedophiles but liberal lawyers will fight any thing like this from ever becoming law
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B. McLeod
Oct 27, 2009 6:42 PM CST
Pedophilia may be on the way to becoming the next Hollywood craze. They’re sure pitching in for Polanski.
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tim
Oct 28, 2009 6:45 AM CST
I agree @2. I say bring back the town sqaure hangings for anyone convicted for 1st degree murder, rape, or pedophilia. No more letting rapists, murderors, and pedophiles live out their live in a ritz caralton jail.
As far as pimps - if they traffic a minor, they should get life in jail without parole for first offense though I would be happy to fry them as well.
We don’t need these scum on our earth.
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Jeffrey A. Schwartz
Oct 28, 2009 7:17 AM CST
I don’t disagree with any of the posts, necessarily, but a good first step in ameliorating this issue would be to abolish the preposterous notion that the underlying act of prostitution should be a crime at all. If a 10 year old girl sees on TV that (adult) prostitutes get busted for engaging in consensual behavior, she will be even more scared to approach the very institutions that are constituted to protect her.
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AndytheLawyer
Oct 28, 2009 7:53 AM CST
#2—Darn that pesky Eighth Amendment, huh?
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tim
Oct 28, 2009 8:55 AM CST
@8 - there is nothing cruel and unusual about putting to death a murderor, rapist or pedophile. Any suggestion otherwise is only the result of pacisfistswho are afraid to stamp out evil.
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AndytheLawyer
Oct 28, 2009 11:22 AM CST
#7—The Old Testament defines the eating of shellfish as an “abomination” and condemns those who eat it to eternal hellfire. By divine mandate, you should face the death penalty next time you order up a shrimp cocktail.
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associate
Oct 28, 2009 3:07 PM CST
8, you assume we’re all Jewish, and we’re not. Christians (and Muslims) don’t have to follow the old law. Christ disregarded many aspects of it and superceded it with divine law. Mohammed made his own law.
And why are you bringing up the Old Testament anyway? Aren’t you one of those “American was not founded on Judeo Christian values” guys? I know you’ve posted that before.
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Jennifer Brooke
Oct 28, 2009 3:32 PM CST
This is all hate-speech: some humans are simply born different - with a DNA propensity to love younger humans. In the 1880’s a 13-year old would be married off. It is only the prudish conversative stick-in the muds who have imposed their own artificial morality upon the natural world and will not follow “Equal Treatment for All” and allow these young people, who have enough mental capacity to formulate the requirements to be charged with crimes as an adult - why can’t they have the right to decide for themselves? Why should those who have those natural hard-wired propensities to have relationships with older teenagers?
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AndytheLawyer
Oct 28, 2009 5:59 PM CST
#9—When I’m on the job, I don’t write the law. I just look it up. Same thing with the Bible—and if there’s anything in the New Testament that specifically and unambiguously abrogates any of the Old Testament’s laws, feel free to cite it.
None of this has anything to do with whether the USA was founded on “Judeo Christian values”—whatever the heck they are. But thanks for the non sequitur anyway.
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