Last updated on: 5/14/2018 | Author: ProCon.org

US and State Prostitution Arrests

 

Top 10 States – Prostitution
Arrests per 10,000 People
1. Nevada (10.83)
2. Wyoming (3.10)
3. Tennessee (2.25)
4. California (1.97)
5. Texas (1.81)
6. Pennsylvania (1.58)
7. Arkansas (1.49)
8. Ohio (1.41)
9. South Carolina (1.371)
10. Hawaii (1.370)
 
Top 10 States –
Total Prostitution Arrests
1. California (7,601)
2. Texas (4,506)
3. Nevada (2,892)
4. Florida (2,397)
5. Pennsylvania (1,792)
6. Ohio (1,308)
7. Tennessee (1,161)
8. Virginia (913)
9. New Jersey (849)
10. New York (627)
 
Federal Prostitution Arrest Data
Year – Number of Arrests
2016 – 38,306
2015 – 31,534
2014 – 37,222
2013 – 42,110
2012 – 43,395
2011 – 44,174
2010 – 48,281
2009 – 71,355
2008 – 75,004
2007 – 77,607
2006 – 79,673
2005 – 84,891
2004 – 87,872
2003 – 75,190
2002 – 79,733
2001 – 80,854
 

State-by-State Prostitution & Commercialized Vice* Arrests

State20012010201420152016
Alabama9074001
Alaska6116136813
Arizona1,878956855220387
Arkansas368269222271277
California12,03211,3349,1538,0997,601
Colorado1,328417347641510
Connecticut565445348224212
Delaware138276410089
Florida8,6985,0483,3562,7062,397
Georgia2,3781,414679531455
Hawaii48029620125159
Idaho213171811
Illinois6,0972,525931309187
Indiana833203497431309
Iowa25312368116104
KansasN/A1851047556
Kentucky374275226275252
Louisiana428257398130521
Maine70105281105
Maryland1,1011,465882615584
Massachusetts1,619905674508553
Michigan859446359607528
Minnesota61966617558344
Mississippi56149833538
Missouri1,320338376400415
Montana21863
Nebraska36414813049131
Nevada4,0543,7383,8273,3082,892
New Hampshire924645991
New Jersey1,9341,489926623849
New Mexico4123471556236
New York1,133783834847627
North Carolina1,5661,145495420182
North Dakota45474720
Ohio2,1541,7241,5281,1321,308
Oklahoma40024713885
Oregon35929622956284
Pennsylvania3,0741,9582,3321,7521,792
Rhode Island303103859880
South Carolina165624608561578
South Dakota022515026
Tennessee1,3602,3871,3691,2721,161
Texas6,6417,5544,8914,9874,506
Utah372414193190191
Vermont551444
Virginia388689970685913
Washington664836528435553
West Virginia1114766473
Wisconsin881358662402437
Wyoming27544056
State20012010201420152016

* Prostitution and Commercialized Vice is defined in the US Department of Justice’s Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook (2004) as:

“The unlawful promotion of or participation in sexual activities for profit. To solicit customers or transport persons for prostitution purposes; to own, manage, or operate a dwelling or other establishment for the purpose of providing a place where prostitution is performed; or to otherwise assist or promote prostitution.

Agencies must include in this classification:

  • Prostitution
  • Keeping a bawdy house, disorderly house, or house of ill fame
  • Pandering, procuring, transporting, or detaining women for immoral purposes, etc.
  • Attempts to commit any of the above.”

Sources:
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States 2016: Table 22,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2016
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States 2016: Table 18,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2016
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States 2015: Table 69,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2015
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: Table 42,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2010-2015
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States 2014: Table 69,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2014
Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Arrest Data Analysis Tool,” bjs.usdoj.gov (accessed Aug. 23, 2012)
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States,” ucr.fbi.gov, 2002-2009
Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States 2001: Section IV,” fbi.gov, 2001