Posting Mugshots of Johns online: Good Idea or Bad Idea

[Noodleboy13]

There is a giant animated billboard on a busy freeway outside Mpls that directs people to check out a page of people who have been picked up for soliciting prostitution.

http://www.startribune.com/local/41084482.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUr

Personally, I don't have an immediate, knee-jerk reaction on this.
Any thoughts from DU land? Would this curb solicitation? Does it seem excessive?


Peace
Noodleboy

[elleng]

1. Its been done in the past, in various places,

maybe in different ways. Would it curb solicitation? the OLDEST profession? NOPE

Excessive? dunno; yes and no. At least it targets right 'member.'

[PM Martin]

2. I oppose this.

Prostitution should be legalized and regulated by the government.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, since I think that prostitution, per se, should not

be a crime, I have a problem with this. I understand the concept of driving the johns off to slow down the street prostitution, but I'm uncomfortable with the whole thing.

[geckosfeet]

4. Moralistic preaching bastards.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. Read the article

seems that johns have been hassling teens who aren't prostitutes. doing something like this might give pause. I know if I lived in the Twin Cities, I'd want to know who is out doing this sort of thing.

[Lost in CT]

6. Well I followed the actual link below and clearly they are racially profiling.

Out of 22 featured perps there are only 2 non-Hispanic whites... so either the male population of Minneapolis is 90% minority or only minorities can't afford the lawyers to avoid getting their photos published....

Seems like a straightforward racist policy to me.


http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/prostitution-convictions/convictions.asp

[Noodleboy13]

11. The Latino presence is WAYYYYY out of proportion.

Part of this is because the area that the sting took place (many of the arrests are on the same day) is a predominately Latin neighborhood. There was a brothel bust here several months ago that involved a lot of immigrants from Ecuador and Mexico, but other that that, Latinos are generally average to under-represented in Mpls crime statistics.

Part of me wonders if these are hard working undocumented guys, maybe poor English skills, sending money back home to families, trying to blow off a little steam. I'm a cook, so I've worked along side guys like this. I'm not trying to excuse it, but I can easily see how it could happen.


Peace
Noodleboy

[burythehatchet]

7. Persecute people for getting a blowjob, but protect the biggest criminals in history

it all makes so much sense.

[upi402]

8. ugh, can we stop the police state crap someday?

Puhleeez! It's always the Religious right that wants to make an issue out of this, but ask any hooker... it's the religious and Republicans that give the most * business.

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. How about Bills? Freds? Jimmys?

[Canuckistanian]

10. Charge the Johns with conspiracy to solicit

It always seemed so unfair that the hookers were the ONLY ones getting charged for solicitation.

So if you arrest for solicitation, you have to have TWO parties to make an arrest.

[msongs]

12. what happened to "innocent unti proven guilty"? nt

[safeinOhio]

15. That's what I was thinking

I hope they post pictures of those convicted, not picked up.

[Chemical Bill]

13. Legalize prostitution. n/t

[suede1]

14. It's disgusting, puritanical, judgmental and bullshit.