Texas Legislators Consider Lower Penalties for Prostitution
Posted By The Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass || 1-May-2014
Although the current penalties for prostitution in Texas are not as severe as those for other types of sex crimes such as rape, a charge of prostitution still has incredibly damaging implications on an individual’s reputation, personal relationships, and career prospects. Now, however, the legal penalties may be reduced and those convicted of prostitution may be given a better chance to rebuild their lives. Public policy advocates and criminal defense lawyers are on board with a proposal to reduce the penalties for prostitution in Texas.
Previous Penalties
Under a 2001 law passed in Texas, an individual with three misdemeanor convictions could be charged with a felony for prostitution. This law made Texas the only state in which prostitution can bring a felony conviction and it resulted in hundreds of women being sent to the state prison system for non-violent offenses.
Proposed Penalties
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition recently released a report that argues for lower penalties for those charged with prostitution. The report supports efforts made by Texas Representative Eric Johnson to legalize lower penalties via House Bill 2801. If this bill is passed into law, the provision that charges individuals with a felony after repeated offenses would be deleted. Instead, offenders would be referred to rehabilitation and intervention programs. The proposed programs would consist of a minimum of 100 hours of counseling, instruction, or other forms of treatment. The programs would educate offenders about substance abuse, mental health, sexual abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. Advocates for the proposed changes say that the intervention programs are ideal solutions considering that many prostitutes are victims of sexual abuse and social health problems. Lawmakers who are on board with the changes argue that the proposed bill would save the state significant sums of money because it would reduce the prison population.
The criminal defense attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey C. Grass will aggressively defend your legal rights in the event that you’re charged with prostitution or solicitation. Our lawyers are dedicated to helping clients clear their names and protect their reputations from undue damage. You can schedule a free consultation at our law firm by calling .