When is a Crime "Tolerable"?

[Greenday]

Legalized prostitution promotes human trafficking. BOOM. What now?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Legalized prostitution promotes human trafficking. BOOM. What now?

First: Prove it.

Second: Any national legalization of prostitution would have with it a certain amount of government and industry regulation, meaning that not only would illegal activity within the industry be minimized, there would still be more than enough room within the law to crack down on illegal prostitution.

[Greenday]

First: Prove it.

Logic. Prostitution is legalized. More people do it because it's now ok to do. Demand goes up. Human trafficking mainly already occurs for the purpose of prostitution (and porn but that's another issue). Thus increased demand of prostitutes means an increase of demand for human trafficking.

Second: Any national legalization of prostitution would have with it a certain amount of government and industry regulation, meaning that not only would illegal activity within the industry be minimized, there would still be more than enough room within the law to crack down on illegal prostitution.

That makes no sense. These rules would be nearly impossible to enforce. Plus, how hard would it be to forge paperwork to, say, pimp out someone slightly underage? Not hard at all.

On a side note, I can't believe those courses in Human Trafficking ever actually came into use in some way.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Logic. Prostitution is legalized. More people do it because it's now ok to do. Demand goes up. Human trafficking mainly already occurs for the purpose of prostitution (and porn but that's another issue). Thus increased demand of prostitutes means an increase of demand for human trafficking.



That makes no sense. These rules would be nearly impossible to enforce. Plus, how hard would it be to forge paperwork to, say, pimp out someone slightly underage? Not hard at all.

On a side note, I can't believe those courses in Human Trafficking ever actually came into use in some way.

So you're saying that because laws by definition are hard to enforce, and relatively easy to skirt, we shouldn't allow responsible business to proceed?

If we outlawed every industry that stands a chance to break laws and regulations we'd end up with little or nothing left. You don't outlaw the use of foreign oil because someone might break a trade embargo and you don't outlaw the sale of alcohol because someone may sell some to minors. It's relatively easy to fake the shipping manifests and driver's licenses. But it's understood that people have the right to partake of potentially hazardous business and products even though there's the possibility that it may be abused.

The only thing that makes prostitution any different is that it's become an established underground industry. But the growth of a legal industry in prostitution inevitably reduces and then eliminates the lucrative profit of illegal prostitution the same as when the restored legality of alcohol put an end to illegal alcohol trade post-prohibition.

Since I'm a layperson on a debate forum I'll go ahead and back this up with logic too.

[Rapscallion]

Logic. Prostitution is legalized. More people do it because it's now ok to do. Demand goes up. Human trafficking mainly already occurs for the purpose of prostitution (and porn but that's another issue). Thus increased demand of prostitutes means an increase of demand for human trafficking.

Something is legalised, more local people go into the 'profession' (eventually, anyway, due to lasting social stigma), the price goes down, and the proceeds from people trafficking are therefore far less lucrative. Hence less trafficking!

Availability doesn't automatically create demand, but it does affect the prices charged.

Rapscallion

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Something is legalised, more local people go into the 'profession' (eventually, anyway, due to lasting social stigma), the price goes down, and the proceeds from people trafficking are therefore far less lucrative. Hence less trafficking!

Availability doesn't automatically create demand, but it does affect the prices charged.

Rapscallion

And once again Raps swoops in an says what I was trying to say in a much more concise and cogent manner. *shakes fist in frustration*

[Vagabond]

That and once a 'thing' <insert drug, alcohol, prostitution, anything else currently illegal> is legalized, the government can (some may say obligation to) come in and enforce the <thing>'s safety, use and comsumption. And then tax it as well.

[Rapscallion]

A fair point, Vagabond, though I suspect the taxes will come first. Unless it's a customer with premature ejaculation, in which case he'll come first.

Ba-dum tish!

Rapscallion

[Wingates_Hellsing]

A fair point, Vagabond, though I suspect the taxes will come first. Unless it's a customer with premature ejaculation, in which case he'll come first.

Ba-dum tish!

Rapscallion

Because we Romans have a god for everything!