What Key Issues Plague Midtown and Should Be Addressed Immediately?

The Midtown Ponce Security Alliance recently wrote an article for its readers, highlighting what they believe is the key issues affecting Midtown residents that need to be addressed by the current legislature.

According to the MPSA, the number one issue is the consistent prostitution that goes on at night in and around the various neighborhoods.  

The MPSA wrote, "enhancing the incarcerability of the street prostitutes and their johns who plague a certain part of the neighborhood on a nightly basis. We are calling for legislation to more effectively help us in dealing with a problematic segment of our street criminals."

Currently prostitution and pandering is only a misdemeanor, and many residents including the MPSA believes that there is an opportunity to update the charge and punishment to something called, "aggravated assault," which would carry heavier penalties.  "We will suggest 'within 500 feet of a window or door of any dwelling', and work to have that designated a felony punishable up to five years incarceration," says MPSA.

Read the full article by clicking the link.

What is your opinion?  What are the issues that Midtown needs to address immediately to improve our neighborhoods?  And what suggestions do you have to make these changes a reality?

These are the current laws on the books:

§ 16-6-9. Prostitution: A person commits the offense of prostitution when he or she performs or offers or consents to perform a sexual act, including but not limited to sexual intercourse or sodomy, for money or other items of value.

§ 16-6-12. Pandering: A person commits the offense of pandering when he or she solicits a person to perform an act of prostitution in his or her own behalf or in behalf of a third person or when he or she knowingly assembles persons at a fixed place for the purpose of being solicited by others to perform an act of prostitution.

16-6-13. Penalties for violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12 (excerpt): (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, a person convicted of any of the offenses enumerated in Code Sections 16-6-10 through 16-6-12 shall be punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. A person convicted of the offense enumerated in Code Section 16-6-9 shall be punished as for a misdemeanor.