Treatment

When we created the Prostitution Task Force we looked at a variety of ways to deal with the issues. We recognized that that there was not one silver bullet to deal with the issue. Increased enforcement was needed. Disruption of the trade was needed. One of the other earliest things we looked at was treatment. Research had shown that just arresting prostitutes was not sufficient to stop the problem. What was needed was a treatment program. We asked Seminole Heights own Tampa Crossroads to implement one and they did. They created PRIDE and JADE. (Before any funding sources were created!)

"In August of 2001, Tampa Crossroads, Inc. began offering two community based prostitution treatment, intervention, and diversion programs in Hillsborough County called the P.R.I.D.E. (Prostitution Redirection Initiative- Diversion and Education) and J.A.D.E. (Johns Awareness, Diversion, and Education). These programs are designed to provide treatment and education to individuals who have been arrested for solicitation of prostitution or for those individuals who work in the prostitution trade and wish to take on a new lifestyle. The goal of, P.R.I.D.E. and J.A.D.E., as in all of our programs, is to assist clients in becoming law-abiding, productive members of our community. We do this by helping them develop drug-free lifestyles, to find and maintain appropriate employment, to improve their skills in accomplishing life's tasks, and to identify and correct errors in thinking which support criminal behavior.

The PRIDE and the JADE Programs consist of psychoeducational group or individual counseling sessions. We employ guest speakers to educate the clients on issues related to health concerns, the socioeconomic effects on society, and the personal impact this behavior has on the prostitute and the john. What separates these programs from the vast majority of Prostitution Diversion classes found around the country is in how we interact with the clients. From the names of the programs through the curriculum, we treat each client with respect and choose not to rely on scare tactics and a shame based philosophy to create a change in behavior. The ultimate goal of the PRIDE and the JADE Programs is to provide tools to help clients make healthy and responsible choices in all areas of their lives.

One of the problems we faced was that prostitutes did not go into treatment willingly. Most had to be court ordered. However the charges they faced were misdemeanor. By the time they got to court they were given time served. There was no reason for the prostitutes to choose treatment.

That changed when we got the law changed to make the third conviction for prostitution a felony. At this point there was an incentive to participate in treatment. Even more than that, part of the law required treatment.

The Johns Program (JADE) was created to help deal with the demand side of the equation. It is very successful.

These programs received funding from the state in a pilot program capacity. A review was completed by the state.

Further funding was sought within the budget of the Department of Corrections. Jeb Bush vetoed the funding. More compassionate conservatism in action.