Great story.

If prostitutes are guilty of "other crimes", why aren't they arrested for them ?

No easy answers here. I see prostitutes, especially those that work the streets, as victims themselves that have been hardened by an environment that uses them and corrupts them. The question becomes what lead these people to the street and to the point in their life where they will do a sex act for $20.00? They wouldn't have a job if the demand wasn't there....this "underworld" as they label it is built to sustain the "decadent" cravings of the larger society. They aren't the cause, but rather the result of the hypocrisy of the larger society.

I absolutely agree with the other posters. The prostitutes should not be hauled away or serve jail time - they are victims and usually need help to deal with substance abuse. The real predators are the johns, and it doesn't sound like any johns were arrested in this sting operation. If the arrests really have no impact on the prostitution trade in the community, what was the point? The APD just spend thousands of dollars to harass and intimidate prostitutes who won't give up the trade as long as there is demand. Go after the johns!

Amy, excellent job on a difficult story.

Why don't they go inside the Ponce Hotel and arrest Spud for selling crack and Diamond for pimping and selling crack? They may want look into the night clerk and manager who buy a lot of the stolen goods that come in to this dump

Along as prostitution is completely illegal there will be an underground market. Let's face it, the basis for laws against prostituion as exactly like the laws (still on the books in some states) against adultery. A lot of Americans want to regulate the sex lives of their fellow citzens. Ironically, these are usually the same people who say they want smaller government. Be like Nevada, regulate it in brothels. It will dramatically reduce rates of STDs and drug use.

Jerome's got it right. As long as we prudishly legislate sexual activity we will continue to squander valuable limited police resources on this crap. I do not want prostitutes walking the streets of Midtown. But, like drug use, prostitution, if done legally, is a victimless activity. It is the criminalization that creates the culture of streetwalkers and johns, like drug dealers. Legalize it and it can occur in brothels, have health inspections, and pay taxes. The women would be safer and get health insurance, and most of the undesirable street activity would stop.

I'm not sure how 8 johns arrested versus 61 prostitutes arrested is a great way to scare the johns away and lessen the demand for prostitutes. If you want to scare the johns off it seems to me you'd want to be arresting and exposing them--they are the ones who have more to lose by being arrested and apparently prostitutes view being arrested as part of the job. If most of the prostitutes in the area are men soliciting men, why is the APD trying to arrest johns with female undercover officers? It seems like a waste of resources.

I'm not sure how 8 johns arrested versus 61 prostitutes arrested is a great way to scare the johns away and lessen the demand for prostitutes. If you want to scare the johns off it seems to me you'd want to be arresting and exposing them--they are the ones who have more to lose by being arrested, and according to the police, the prostitutes view being arrested as part of the job. If most of the prostitutes in the area are men soliciting men, why is the APD trying to arrest johns with female undercover officers? Do the male undercover officers only feel comfortable playing the role of those on the top of the power dynamic?

It seems like a waste of resources to exclusively arrest the supply side of the equation when it obviously isn't working. Perhaps it is easier to arrest and prosecute again and again those who have very little to defend themselves in the form of money or power (would you do your job for a bag of chips in payment?), but it doesn't seem to be helping Midtown *or* the prostitutes in the long run.

The hookers are victims? Wtf.....20% are but the other 80% are in it for quick easy cash, where they don't have to work. The ones who stop prostituting go into the drug trade. Most say school is too long and nobody wants to start at the bottom of the work force. Has anybody ever sat and thought about what is going through the Johns head, where he /she is forced to pickup a hooker? All you get is four months for a 4th offense? Who's afraid of that really? To say that police need to go after john instead of hookers, is like saying drug dealers need to be left alone and in return go after the ones buying it.
Prostitution is a chain reaction
Nobody touched on the fact that the government itself is making it hard on society, women are forced to earn additional income by doing this to begin with. The fact is that most don't want to be helped, if you don't believe me. Go try and help your neighborhood prostitute.

Yes it's the prostitutes fault. If it's not their fault, then tell me, who's is it? People need to take responsibility for their own actions. If you're a drug-addled, criminal or hooker, then take responsibility for it.

The decline of Western civilization is too far gone and that's why eugenics should be practiced. :^)

Death to trannies! :^)

Legalize it. Spend your time going after truly violent crime, crime with victims, and child prostitution. Any minute spent pursuing a voluntary transaction is wasted not pursuing the dudes who broke into my house, the dudes who keep beating people up and mugging them in midtown, and the other criminals doing violent crime around town. Leave the druggies and the prostitutes alone.

Prostitution has existed for some 10000 years. I don't think that anything that APD is going to do is going to stop it. Focus on crimes that have victims.

CONSIDERED
I believe that the penalty for being caught for the 1st offense should be harder. Hopefully, that would help.... Secondly, if the community would come together and point the finger on these hotels that are allowing the activity.

IT seems to be all about the $$ IF they want to work let them pick up trash along the highways

We need more stings especially by the airport/ole national hwy area.

@Brian Adams. If a man can't or doesn't wish to control his physiological response to seeing a woman in a short skirt, he shouldn't leave his home. Take responsibility and get some self control!

And why does georgia police departments act like they want to clean up the city as they say but the main clientele is police officers congressmen lawyers federal agents and judges my best friends has names and numbers for days but everyone is so against prostitution. wow im gonna ask the american government to get it together stop breaking the laws your trying to lock people up for. it might be a little " trashy " walking the streets but not everyone is fortunate enuff to have guidance. ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE.

Why in the hell do the American government loves to economically exploit and oppress its own citizens? 75% of the working class should go on a nationwide protest for 2 weeks and refuse to work. The American working class are treated very badly in America and needs to stand up agianst a evil system by refusing to work for 2 weeks.

I was arrested for escort without a permit in 2007 when I lived in Georgia I was so upset and received 30 days in Fulton county jail it was the worst I was in booking with men transgendered and was caught up in a sting at the Marriott marquis hotel in midtown after goin to jail here I skipped town fast and ever came back I suggest go somewhere that u don't need a permit to sell ur own shit. Atlanta is wack on the how tip too many girls out there selling their selves for the low I'm from mass and we get 200/250 for an hour and that doesn't guarantee sex ski would get outta georgia with that the only victims in prostitution is the johns family's because he is taking money away from them hoes shouldn't be charged with any crime and shhhmm u get out fast and less time for walking the street than if hey get u off the phones

WELL TO EACH AS OWN SOME HAVE TO LIVE AND LEARN ITS NO DIFFRENCE IN A PERSON SLINGING DRUGS ITS HER BODY AND HER LIFE SHE HAS TO GIVE IN COUNTER FOR THAT ITS BAD WHEN U HAVE THOSE MOFOCUKAS THAT CHOOSE TO ROB NOW THEY DESERVE JAIL WHERE SHES TRYNA FEED HER KIDS I SUPPORT THE NAKED HUSTLE LONG AS SHE PROTECTZ HERSELF

Prostitution is the worlds oldest profession. They should legalize prostitution and force these people to get a license to practice their profession while simulatenously practicing safe sex with condoms and female condoms. Can you imagine the tax revenue that could be obtained from these people. This could save the school district. We could hire more teachers and build more schools. Stop putting people in jail wasting $80,000 dollars per year imprisoning people for prostitution. Leave them alone. Also, If a guy wants to pay for sex with someone above the legal age of consent, he should be able to do so without going to jail, and without some asshole telling his wife. Why should the pimps get all of the profit when the state of Georgia could be raking in all of that tax revenue. Lets put the pimps out of business and legalize it.

Also mandatory testing for all Johns who are caught with mandatory notification of their spouse if testing shows anything positive....