Prostitute Diversion Initiative
The prostitution problem in the southern sector of the City of Dallas is severe. Over 1100 prostitutes have been identified engaging in criminal activity at four major truck stops along the I-20 corridor. The Prostitute Diversion Initiative (PDI) was developed by the Dallas Police Department (DPD) in collaboration with multiple organizations to address this increasing problem of street prostitution. Instead of treating prostitutes as criminals, the DPD would approach them as victims, offering an opportunity for prostitutes to gain access to a comprehensive and multi-step in-patient and out-patient treatment program as an alternative to further victimization and continued involvement in the criminal justice system. Recognizing that violence and substance abuse outcomes characteristic of this vulnerable subgroup are points of common interest for criminal justice systems, social services, and public health, the PDI capitalizes on the participation of a broad range of organizations with multi-disciplinary expertise and key resources to understand the causes of high risk behaviors and ultimately inform more effective ways to reduce associated crime. Included in this collaboration are the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Dallas County Health Department, Parkland Hospital, courts, and Homeward Bound which takes the lead for over 45 social service and faith-based organizations. The overall goal is to provide those individuals engaged in prostitution, should they choose, a complete exit strategy from the sex trade industry.
Dr. Martha Felini, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and Center for Community Health Senior Scholar, has partnered with participating organizations and is leading the evaluation of the PDI, which is expected to identify health priorities so that research can be responsive to the needs of prostitutes and the communities surrounding those neighborhoods. In addition, results will provide justification for future research assessing health disparities in this hard to reach and vulnerable subpopulation.
Click here to read the PDI Annual Report and learn more.
Dr. Felini will be presenting the preliminary results of the PDI at the 6th Annual Conference for Prostitution, Sex, and Human Trafficking in Toledo, Ohio on October 1-2. She has also been invited to speak at the National Prostitute Diversion Conference on November 3-5, 2009 in Dallas.