Legislation for Prostitution-Free Zones in Prince George's County Moves Forward
Legislation would make it easier for police to target prostitution.
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Legislation that would create prostitution-free zones in communities throughout Prince George’s County is moving forward in the county council.
The legislation, introduced this week by Councilwoman Andrea Harrison (D-Dist. 5), would authorize Prince George’s County Police to declare prostitution-free zones that would make it unlawful for two or more people to gather in a public space or property with the intent of engaging in prostitution.
The county’s chief of police would be allowed to create these zones in areas with high numbers of arrests or calls related to prostitution or prostitution-related offenses. Zones will only exist for up to 480 hours, and violators of the law could be fined up to $1,000 and face up to six month in jail.
During the summer, Harrison complained that prostitution was plaguing communities in her district, which includes Bladensburg, Cheverly, Edmonston, Fairmount Heights, Glenarden, Landover, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, and Mitchellville. At the time, Harrison said laws needed to be tightened to discourage repeat offenders.
“The problem seems to be with not being able to keep those individuals in jail. The punishment is not punitive; they’re doing it over and over again,” she said. “We have a problem with people going to jail and not thinking much of it — they turn around and go again.”
A public hearing and final vote is scheduled for Nov. 15.
Rick Hudson
1:45 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
If prostituion is already illegal in PG County doesn't that by nature make the whole county a prostituion free zone. They call prostitution the world's oldest profession for a reason, it makes money... so people keep doing it no matter how many times they go to jail for it. Adding jail time will not solve the problem. They need to find a better solution then adding another silly law for our police departments to enforce.
Pachacutec
1:56 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
No easy answers, I guess. But it makes me mad when I hear people refer to this as a "victimless" crime; no way! The young women (and men) are always at risk of getting injured or killed by their pimps, customers, or other prostitutes. Then there's the risk of disease transmission back and forth. Too, both prostitutes and victims are being robbed. And many of the women/men working the streets are doing so because they're on drugs. But if these people are moved out of a prostitution-free zone, guaranteed they'll just go down the street and when the zone is lifted after 480 hours, they'll be back.
Rick Hudson
3:11 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
I did not mean to imply anything about this being "a victimless crime". I just wanted to point out that it is a redundant law. Perhaps the county could make all prostitution related crimes felonies with a 5 year mandatory prison sentence. Then more people may think twice about choosing it as a profession no matter what their circumstancein life is.
JustABill
8:36 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Just how many laws are needed for the same crime? Prostitution is illegal in Maryland so as Rick has already pointed out not only is Prince Georges County technically a prostitution free zone the whole state is one so why do we need to make another overlapping law?
This is no different than the supposed need to legislate against certain types of cell phone usage in the interest of safer roads. There were already two existing laws (Negligent Driving and Reckless Driving) that do more than enough to give police the power to pull over and ticket someone for using their cell phone in an unsafe manner while driving. What will need to be redundantly legislated next? We already have "Drug Free Zones" as well so in my opinion this is nothing more than a complete waste of time and tax payers dollars that could be better spent by the government solving real problems and not just grandstanding for media coverage.
Christopher K Masak
11:24 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Redundant and unnecessary. Prostitution is illegal already. This legislation accomplishes nothing.
Pachacutec
9:31 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
to RickHudson; no, sorry for the misunderstanding, I didn't mean YOU, and I agree with what you say, the "zone" law IS redundant! However, in most articles about prostitution laws, I always read a lot of comments about "why should we do anything at all, it's a victimless crime." Again, sorry!
Tea L
11:27 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
Mitchellville?!? Never seen a streetwalker in Mitchellville. I can't imagine where, unless she is talking about that bar in Mitchellville Plaza. I would like to know where the high crime neighborhood is in Mitchellville.
Jon
12:25 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
I think the article is saying that there are problems in her district, and then telling the reader what communities are in her district, not that those are the communities with that problem. It's confusingly-written; I had to read it several times -- I had the same reaction about Mitchellville.
LH
2:42 am on Saturday, October 22, 2011
What a waste of time and taxpayers money.
SC Brown
5:09 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
As I understand it to arrest for prostitution the individuals have to be caught in the act. With the prostitution free zones, as the article points out, individuals congregating could be arrested for suspicion. The congregating aspect is important since as many point out the same people come back. Now the police have stronger legal standing to question and arrest the offenders. Hopefully, there's similar laws in DC so the matter in those MD-DC border towns won't bleed back to DC.
Barry McCockiner
6:38 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
I for one would never want the police to arrest me just for standing around talking to my friends on the street corner. I know we all think that this law will only be used for prostitutes but come on - with this kind of power the police can arrest all kinds of people.
Also prostitution is a victimless "crime". Look at vegas. Girls sell it all day long and there are no troubles. Its the same as prohibition. And that didn't work did it? Has any law helped to get rid of prostitiution? No. Why does anyone care what someone else does with their body?
LH
10:49 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
I don't see anything wrong with it being necessary for people to commit crimes before being arrested.
MAH 1464
11:13 am on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Lets make it legal like they do in other countries. At the rate we are going it might be the only job left thanks to fools like this one proposing a law like this. This is what they are doing with our tax dollars huh, amazing how these people get elected just amazing.
Johanna Jeffers
12:48 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Is this an oxymoron? How are we creating prostitution free zones if the whole city is supposed to be prostitution free!
Isn't this just a waste of taxpayers money? I thought when they shut down craigslist this would alleviate the situation a little bit, but there is always someone to take it's place like http://www.classivox.com for example.
So what's next???