Legal Corner

Johns to face minimum 1 year in prison on first offense.
DAVEPHX 2421 reads
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Johns to face minimum 1 year in prison on first offense.  
Hotels must keep all guest records for six months and train staff on how to spot prostitution.

This is a legislative bill in Connecticut but this is something our sexaphobic Arizona legislature would probably welcome.  

In Arizona, we already have zillions of felony cases with potential long prison sentences being part of any "Criminal enterprise" which can be an escort and her boyfriend or husband as a driver, phone operator, massage parlor - any group of more than just an individual sexworker.  

The Connecticut bill was introduced by newly sworn-in-Democratic State Repl Liz L making soliciting sex a Class C felony with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 1-year with a maximum 10 years, plus a fine up to $10,000.  It would also require anyone convicted more than once to register as a sex offender.  

The bill wouldn't do anything to change the fact that sex workers are arrested for prostitution (also currently a class A misdemeanor in Connecticut), it would just drastically enhance penalties for their clients. And this can further punish sex workers and put them at risk, by limiting the pool of customers to only those willing to risk severe punishment or making clients less willing to submit to screening processes and other measures that protect sex-worker safety and health. If L. actually cares about helping those who sell sex out of economic desperation, she wouldn't seek to stymie their earning potential while driving their activities further underground.

Connecticut is currently in the midst of rolling out another prostitution-related measure, passed in 2016. Under the new law, all hotel and motel employees are required to undergo training on how to spot human trafficking and "activities related to human trafficking." But like so many "human trafficking awareness" shams, the hotel-employee training really only encourages people to report any and all suspected prostitution—a move that not only harms sex workers but also those in groups most likely to be stereotyped as sex workers. (Already, we've seen flight-attendant "trafficking" training result in the detention of random Asian women.)

The new law also requires all hotels, motels, and inns to keep records and receipts for all guests for at least six months.

Source: http://reason.com/blog/2017/01/23/soliciting-sex-may-become-a-felony?platform=hootsuite

More:
“It’s time to change the belief that prostitution is a victimless crime; many sex workers are, in fact, victims themselves,” L. said. “That we continue to punish sex workers – many of whom have been coerced into this work or do it out of economic desperation – without looking at the other side of the equation just doesn’t make sense. We need to shift the focus to the consumers, and by increasing penalties for soliciting sex we can decrease the demand.”

A recent study by the Connecticut Trafficking in Persons Council found that sex workers were seven times more likely to be convicted of a crime than ‘johns.’

“The Legislature’s Trafficking in Persons Council has embarked on a Connecticut Campaign Against Demand in order to focus attention on those buying sex,” L. said.

“When men buy sex they create demand which fuels sex trafficking in our state and the legislation she has introduced, recognizes the importance of targeting buyers in order to prevent the sex trafficking of our state’s women and children,” J. G., chair of the Connecticut Trafficking in Persons Council said.

http://patch.com/connecticut/cheshire/legislator-seeks-increased-penalties-soliciting-prostitute

If I am not mistaken, WI just gives tickets.  

I have issues with hotels that are LE friendly. That is fucked up.

Posted By: mrfisher

Good to know.  At least one state in the Police States of America has its head on straight.

For example, out around where I live, there's a small town that has a lot of one and two star motels just off the exit of a major highway.  As you could guess, it's a major center for escorting.  The local police chief has told these motel owners/managers to report any activity such as a single good looking woman checking in or other unusual activity.  They even send police women to the motels who check in to test if the motels will report that.  If they don't, they are threatened with loss of their operating license.  So, don't be too harsh on them.  They are only trying to make a living too.

Place of business then they could lose their property and may face criminal charges. It's a real stretch of the law but it could happen.  The point is they could bring the charges and the motel owner would have to defend and the legal costs may put him out of business.  Reputation is everything.

Posted By: mrfisher
For example, out around where I live, there's a small town that has a lot of one and two star motels just off the exit of a major highway.  As you could guess, it's a major center for escorting.  The local police chief has told these motel owners/managers to report any activity such as a single good looking woman checking in or other unusual activity.  They even send police women to the motels who check in to test if the motels will report that.  If they don't, they are threatened with loss of their operating license.  So, don't be too harsh on them.  They are only trying to make a living too.

Will this country ever learn from experience. Did this approach, punishing the individual consumer or imposing morals that are not really widely held as evidence by action and not statement, work for drugs or alcohol? (Of course that assumes the laws are really about address real harms and risks rather than just the raw exercise of power to terrorize some into acting the way others want them to).

Glad I'm not in either Conn. or AZ.

Gobob496 reads

Posted By: Jensen36363
Will this country ever learn from experience. Did this approach, punishing the individual consumer or imposing morals that are not really widely held as evidence by action and not statement, work for drugs or alcohol? (Of course that assumes the laws are really about address real harms and risks rather than just the raw exercise of power to terrorize some into acting the way others want them to).  
   
 Glad I'm not in either Conn. or AZ.
I have my doubts whether this bill would stand up to scrutiny and pass. Convicted felon for prostitution? Really?!  We need a three day jury trial to convict consenting adults with a prostitute on stand for the prosecution.  Lots of grandstanding here but it's very scary reading nevertheless. Not surprised the feminists in CT are proposing this garbage

I am sure most would plead out but never underestimate the ability of a jury to get it wrong....especially when it's you relying on them😳

Gobob338 reads

Posted By: Nightowl805
I am sure most would plead out but never underestimate the ability of a jury to get it wrong....especially when it's you relying on them😳
I hear ya. My point is this bill will likely never be brought up for a vote. This isn't novel thinking by a freshman state representative.  It's an old school tactic and there is good reason nearly every state does not treat prostitution a felony offense. States don't want to have the court systems tied up, you can't guarantee many will accept plea bargains, false arrest charges are more likely in felony cases, the "victims" (i.e. Escorts ) will be forced to testify and not testifying will often result in a dismissal.  Plus the defense attorney will damn well make sure the prostitute is publicly shamed even w/o the media's shield policies. My point is no state in its right mind wants to go down this path.  But perhaps I'm giving government too much credit.  😀

I'm not sure how it is playing out.

The idea behind this is that defendants will accept a plea bargain to a misdemeanor rather than go to trial over a lesser charge and it ends up as a double win for the courts as they get a conviction and avoid a trial this way.

Gobob392 reads

In Chicago it's not playing out well at all. A felony charge could happen on a second offense. A filrst offense is still a misdemeanor.  Illinois is looking to drop the felony part and it's rarely used bc of prison overcrowding.  Some good articles if you google

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