AUTHORITIES IN MICHIGAN HAVE STARTED SOMETHING KNOWN AS A
PROSTITUTION DIVERGENT PROGRAM, THAT DOES NOT CRIMINALIZE
PROSTITUTES WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT IN STING OPERATIONS, BUT INSTEAD
DIVERGES THEM TO A PROGRAM TO HELP THEM GET BACK ON THEIR
FEET.
THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THIS AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN A
SECOND, BUT ACCORDING TO THE BATTLE CREEK INQUIRER, THE
PROSTITUTION DIVERGENT BATTLE CREEK PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIAL AGENCIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO
HELP WOMEN STOP WORKING AS PROSTITUTES.
THE ONLY THING THAT
SEEMS QUESTIONABLE ON ITS FACE IS THAT THE WOMEN GET CAUGHT IN
THESE STING OPERATIONS, AND THEN THEY ARE GIVEN THE OPTION, YOU
CHOOSE TO GET PROSECUTED OR YOU TAKE PART IN THIS DIVERGENT PROGRAM,
WHERE WE TAKE YOU TO A CHURCH AND YOU BASICALLY WORK WITH
SOCIAL WORKERS.
THEY ARE NOT WORKING WITH PRIESTS AND
HOPEFULLY THEY ARE NOT BEING GIVEN ANY RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.
I HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS STORY, IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT THEYíRE BEING
FORCED INTO ANY RELIGION, SO THAT IS A GOOD THING.
THEY GO TO
THIS CHURCH AND THEN THEY WORK WITH GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS AND
EMPLOYEES, IN ORDER TO GET THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET SO THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO PROSTITUTION.
THE IDEA IS TO
GIVE THEM ACCESS TO SERVICES
LIKE HOUSING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT, JOB TRAINING, CHILD CARE, HEALTH SUPPORT,
AND PEER SUPPORT.
THESE OFFICIALS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP
THEM OUT, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
MY FEAR WAS ALSO THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO TO THE CHURCH
AND IT WAS GOING TO BE, YOU
SHOULD BELIEVE IN OUR MORALS.
THE IRONIC THING IS THAT THEY
ARE NOT BEING BROUGHT TO THE CHURCH TO BOW DOWN TO CHRISTIAN
MORALS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED TO, THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON
CHRISTIAN MORALS.
THE WHOLE FACT THAT PROSTITUTION IS ILLEGAL IS
BASED ON RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.
THERE IS NO OBJECTIONABLE REASON WHY SOMEONE SHOULDNíT BE ALLOWED TO
HAVE SEX WITH SOMEBODY FOR MONEY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO IT INFORMALLY ANYWAY.
THESE LAWS EXIST BECAUSE OF JUDEO-CHRISTIAN RULES IN
THIS COUNTRY.
PEOPLE DO EXCHANGE SEX FOR MONEY, IT'S CALLED PORNOGRAPHY.
OR SUGAR DADDIES.
AS LONG AS WE GET TO WATCH, AND AS LONG AS YOU PUT A SWEET
LITTLE NAME TO IT, IT'S CONSIDERED LEGAL.
THIS UNDERGROUND SEX MARKET IS AN ISSUE, ONLY BECAUSE IT IS
ILLEGAL, AND IT DOESN'T KEEP
PEOPLE SAFE.
WHEN YOU CREATE A MARKET WITH NO REGULATIONS, THEN
YOU DO HAVE WOMEN WHO ARE SELLING THESE SERVICES ON THE
STREET, WHO PUT THEMSELVES INTO
HARM'S WAY AS A RESULT.
LEGALIZING IT IS THE WAY TO GO;
HOWEVER, AS LONG AS IT IS ILLEGAL, I WOULD MUCH RATHER
AUTHORITIES GIVE WOMEN THESE OPTIONS, INSTEAD OF JUST
IMMEDIATELY CRIMINALIZING THEM.
BUT HOW WILL THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX KEEP MAKING
MORE PROFIT YEAR AFTER YEAR IF YOU DON'T IMMEDIATELY THROW
THESE WOMEN INTO JAIL?
IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT WE LIVE IN A
COUNTRY WHERE MORE THAN SIXTY
PERCENT OF OUR INMATES IN PRISON ARE IN PRISON FOR NONVIOLENT
OFFENSES, WHICH COULD COMPLETELY BE CHANGED BY HAVING MORE
DIVERGENT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS
ONE.
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY WE DON'T DO IT.
WE DO IT FOR
YOUTHS.
THERE HAVE BEEN JUVENILE DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN PLACE
SINCE THE 70S, AND THEY LEAD TO GREAT RESULTS OF LOWER
RECIDIVISM RATES.
WE HAVE TALKED OFTEN ABOUT THE IDEOLOGY THAT DRIVES OUR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ASIDE
FROM THINGS LIKE JUVI.
IT IS VERY MUCH BASED ON
THE IDEA THAT, ONCE YOU BECOME AN ADULT, IF YOU COMMIT A CRIME
YOU ARE A BAD PERSON AND WE'RE GOING TO PUNISH YOU.
IT IS NOT
NECESSARILY ABOUT REHABILITATION.
YOU PROBABLY
THINK, LIKE WE DO, THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE A MORE EUROPEAN STYLE JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHERE WE
TRY TO REHABILITATE PEOPLE AND
LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES.
PEOPLE HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO CRIMINALIZE AND TO LOCK
PEOPLE UP.
PRISONS MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS MAKE
MONEY OFF OF IT.
POLITICIANS LOOK TOUGH ON CRIME TO THEIR MORE
CONSERVATIVE CONSTITUENCIES.
THE CHURCH IS PROBABLY BEING PAID TO USE THEIR SPACE FOR THIS.
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, IT'S A POSSIBILITY IT IS CHARITY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS ALWAYS MONEY AND POLITICS.
OKAY CENK.
WOLF-PAC.COM.
DON'T MAKE FUN OF IT, IT'S TRUE.
IT INVOLVES EVERY SINGLE ISSUE.
YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHY DON'T WE
DO MORE DIVERGENT PROGRAMS?
BECAUSE THERE IS A VESTED INTEREST THAT BASICALLY BLOCKS
DIVERSION PROGRAMS FROM BEING DEVELOPED.
BY THE WAY, GOOD
COMMENTARY.
I WASN'T TRYING TO MAKE FUN OF YOU, I WAS JUST
TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING
ON BEHIND THE SCENES.