Police Goal: End Prostitute Cycle

Officials Hope to Place Offenders in Drug Rehab Program Instead of Jail

GASTONIA - Arrest. Charge. Punish.

That's how police fight prostitution in Gastonia.

But they've thought of a new way to reduce the number of prostitutes
who stroll city streets, many to support drug habits.

Police want to send those prostitutes to substance abuse counseling
instead of jail, said Capt. Cindy Isenhour of the Gastonia Police Department.

"We just saw that the old way wasn't working," she said. "The same
(prostitutes) that are out there now are the same ones that I saw when
I started."

Isenhour, who started working 25 years ago, said most prostitutes are
in the business to support addictions. And once they've served their
jail sentence, they return to the streets.

In 2001, 80 people were arrested and charged with prostitution or
soliciting prostitutes, according to police records.

In 2002, that number rose to 119 people, with more than half arrested
for soliciting.

Prostitution is a misdemeanor that carries a sentence of up to 120
days of jail time or probation, depending on prior convictions, said
Mike Lands, Gaston County district attorney.

Police officers are working with court officials and nonprofit
agencies to battle prostitution. They will meet again Thursday to
explore several options.

One idea, which police support, is to enroll prostitutes in rehab and
pay for their treatment through federal grants, said Doug Lance,
executive director of the Alternative Community Penalties Program in
Gastonia.

The agency is one of only three that help Gaston women with addictions
- - a challenge to the proposed program because most prostitutes are
women.

Pathways and Potter's House are the two other agencies that treat
women addicts.

Another challenge will be finding nonprofit agencies to help former
prostitutes with day care and job placement after they complete rehab,
says Lance. But getting these people through counseling first is the
most important thing.

"All the other things don't mean a hill of beans if you don't get them
clean," he said.

Chief District Court Judge Dennis Redwing said it's the first time
he's seen such a proposal and believes it could work. He suggests
setting aside a day and time for prostitution cases to be heard in
court.

Agency representatives could be present at those hearings, and a judge
could determine the needs of convicted prostitutes such as education,
treatment and counseling.

The judge could, based on those needs and prior convictions, dismiss
the charges and require prostitutes to enter treatment or counseling.

Prostitutes would have to return to court and face possible jail time
if they violated that order, Redwing said.

"The same names keep appearing on these charges," Redwing said.
"Rather than sentencing some slap on the wrist and they're right back
out there the next evening, we want to interrupt that cycle with a
referral to any and all agencies that may be able to change that life."