Factors That Influence Police Conceptualizations of Girls Involved in Prostitution in Six U.S. Cities: Child Sexual Exploitation Victims or Delinquents?

Abstract

This study examined how the police conceptualize juveniles involved in prostitution as victims of child sexual exploitation (CSE) or delinquents. Case files from six police agencies in major U.S. cities of 126 youth allegedly involved in prostitution, who were almost entirely girls, provided the data for this inquiry. This study found that 60% of youth in this sample were conceptualized as victims by the police and 40% as offenders. Logistic regression predicted the youths’ culpability status as victims. The full model predicted 91% of youth’s culpability status correctly and explained 67% of the variance in the youths’ culpability status. The police considered youth with greater levels of cooperation, greater presence of identified exploiters, no prior record, and that came to their attention through a report more often as victims. In addition, the police may consider local youth more often as victims. It appears that the police use criminal charges as a paternalistic protective response to detain some of the youth treated as offenders, even though they considered these youth victims. Legislatively mandating this form of CSE as child abuse or adopting a ‘‘secure care’’ approach is needed to ensure these youth receive the necessary treatment and services.