Texas may reconsider sending prostitutes to prison

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Texas may reconsider sending prostitutes to prison
Updated 11:23 a.m., Sunday, August 26, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas may be forced to reconsider a state law that allows prosecutors to charge prostitutes with a felony and send them to prison after three misdemeanor convictions.

The Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/MUchl4) reports that more than 350 prostitutes currently occupy bunks in state prisons, and some officials are wondering whether that makes sense.

State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, says "it's nuts" that Texas has so many prostitutes in prison. He says all the state is doing is "warehousing" people who would be better served getting treatment "so they can get out and stay out of this business."

The newspaper says it costs between $15,500 and $18,538 a year to house a convict in a state prison or lower-security jail. By contrast, community-based rehabilitation programs cost about $4,300 a year.




Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Texas-may-reconsider-sending-prostitutes-to-prison-3816368.php#ixzz24g9cfrOO

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Except the ones that service Austin, right?

[thelordofhell]

2. Heaven forbid they should jail a pimp

[4th law of robotics]

12. Pimping is illegal too

[southernyankeebelle]

3. If you get the girls then by god you better get the men buying sex. Start with the politicans first

[truthisfreedom]

4. What about convictions for pot?

What kind of money is being wasted on that?

[sarcasmo]

23. +1

[Flashmann]

5. 350 prostitutes currently occupy bunks in state prisons

officials are wondering whether that makes sense.
Well Hell no.it doesn't....They could be in Tampa RIGHT now.......

[NV Whino]

6. Is that before or after the GOP convention?

[Taverner]

7. That's what we need! DP for prostitution! Make those s**ts pay!!!!

And the DP for pot posession - can't have any of those hippies running around.

And anyone who isn't a Christian should pay something I call a "jizya" to the church, because this is American dammit!

And we should outlaw vegetarianism! And veganism!

If you don't eat four steaks a day, you get stoned in public. And not the fun kind of stoning!

Oh, and just in case...

[LeighAnn]

9. I'm surprised they're not putting them to death

Isn't that what the Bible says to do?

[Scairp]

28. Careful there

You'll give them too much food for thought and some idiot with an (R) next to his name will actually propose doing that.

[kestrel91316]

10. So they can receive "treatment"???? What, is sex work now a psychiatric disorder?

Perhaps a stable job and roof over their head might be a better goal......

[Tom Ripley]

14. At first I thought they meant drug treatment, but then I remembered this is Texas

and they probably do define it as a psychological disorder. Oppositional Harlotry Disorder?

[olddad56]

25. It is Texas, but the lock up prostitutes in the US also.

[elbloggoZY27]

11. Holy Kazoo !!!!

What a stupid and backward thinking idea. Maybe the politicos should be locked in prison for such a ridiculous idea.

Since the Drug Wars are failing despite the arrests and same for Prostitution.


Decriminalization makes more sense and treat drug and prostitution victims as a Medical Epidemic. Alcohol is more of a killer in the United States and it's victims come from every walk of society and it is LEGAL. We tried banning Alcohol years ago and it failed.

The prisons in the United States should be for the most violent criminals.

This is 2012 and we are failing our citizens.

Texas needs to come out of the 19th Century and so does America.

[jberryhill]

13. This could work out for those for-profit prisons...

[David__77]

15. Fucking ridiculous.

Never, ever should prostitution result in a prison term.

[lostnote12]

16. "Whistle Blowers"???...new meaning to old term/profession???...didn't work well for DC Madam..n/t

[xxqqqzme]

17. A felony after 3

misdemeanor convictions? What about the men paying for it? Do they get charged w/ a felony after 3 visits?

[TheDebbieDee]

18. There are a lot more workers (hookers) than managers (pimps). That's the kind

of forward thinking you get when there is a for-profit prison industry around.

Why, shit! Why don't we hand out mandatory 12-months sentences for spitting on the sidewalk?

[sofa king]

19. Texas Dems, I need to send you some flowers or something.

Is the "stupid idea surprises Republicans by not working" story pretty common down your way?

[oldsarge54]

21. Regrettably No

Regrettably no. My favorite joke is getting old, but the only way we can get rid of Republican politicians is sending them to DC. That would be the only advantage of a Romney victory would be if he gives perry a cabinet post.

[Kingofalldems]

20. Why does the South just love sending people to prison?

Fundies and punishment?

[daleo]

22. Some think it is a legacy of slavery

I recall reading WB Debois on this subject, who theorized along these lines.

[4th law of robotics]

31. Is prostitution legal in Northern States?

[Kingofalldems]

32. Absolutely nothing to do with my post

[4th law of robotics]

33. Actually, yeah it does relate

you seem to think Texas (and the south in general) has some penchant for sending people to jail. You mention this on a thread about sending prostitutes to jail.

If the North (and west and extraneous states) also send prostitutes to jail then this is a poor argument that the south is in some way unique here.

This is what is known as confirmation bias. You'll notice when certain states send prostitutes to jail and write it off when other states do to generate an impression that the south is in some way unique here.

[Kingofalldems]

35. When you make prostitution a felony

there is a huge difference. And yeah the South and especially Texas just love that death penalty. Confirmation my ass.

[4th law of robotics]

36. With the exception of Nevada prostitution is illegal in every state

And you mentioned arresting people rather than the death penalty initially.

Are you moving your goalposts?

[Kingofalldems]

38. Look up the word felony

Then look up misdemeanor. BTW, I don't like to be messed with by muti TSed members.

[olddad56]

24. If they are going to send all whores in Texas to prison, will that include their politicians?

[PDJane]

26. Jailing prostitutes for that much per year is ridiculous.

If you decided to educate the ones who want to get out, I'm sure that 18,000 per year would pay for the needs of these students....outside the jail.

Personally, I think jaily prostitutes is nuts, period, but I don't recall anyone asking for my opinion.

[Booster]

27. They have to make room for those young women who opt for an abortion. Priorities, ya know.

[nikto]

29. TAMPA, HERE THEY COME!

GOP needs flesh.

[Pharlo]

30. How many "more than 350"?

Texas is a big state. There are only 'approximately' 350 prostitues in the state of Texas with "three misdemeanor convictions"?

I think there are a couple of prosecutors in Texas who need to rethink their priorities. I think the vast majority of prosecutors are not so gung ho on this particular 'crime', but there are a couple of fundie prosecutors who are making the state of Texas a laughingstock. But, that's my opinion.

[lovuian]

34. it gets expensive

to feed and guard them

Its called no money

[ChazII]

37. Texas, Prostitutes and private enterprise, oh my

http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2012-07-16/new-facility-outside-houston-haven-victims-sex-trafficking#.UDvBmI591m5

A step in the right direction. A safe harbor for the women and jail time for pimps and johns is what is needed. imho

[bamacrat]

39. Should at non violent drug offenders to that list.