Prostitution in San Francisco

This a another Drudgereport headline, so take this with a grain of salt, but it appears Proposition K will be on the ballet and forbid local authorities from being able to investigate cases of people selling sex.

San Francisco would become the first major U.S. city to decriminalize prostitution if voters next month approve Proposition K—a measure that forbids local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone for selling sex.

The ballot question technically would not legalize prostitution since state law still prohibits it, but the measure would eliminate the power of local law enforcement officials to go after prostitutes.

Proponents say the measure will free up $11 million the police spend each year arresting prostitutes and allow them to form collectives.

So it would still be against the law, but the police would not be allowed to investigate the case. This is not the way to get this done. I doubt this law would pass the first judicial test that was lodged against it.

Anytime you make a common vice against the law you are inviting a large number of social problems that creep in when the product or service goes on the black market. But having this service still illegal, but forbidding authorities to investigate it could create another set of problems. Confusion on who can do what could cripple law enforcement in trying to address the violent side of the results of the black market sale of sex.