The Case for Pimps

Kerry Howley reads Venkatesh & Leavitt, "An Empirical Analysis of Street-Level Prostitution" and observes "Pimps pay better than the market wage and keep you safe and keep the police from demanding freebies. Who wouldn't want a pimp?" Meanwhile, it seems that pimp-inflicted beatings cancel out the reduction in customer-inflicted beatings that come with working with a pimp. This all via Radley Balko who focuses on the deplorable conduct of the police. I think this blog takes a legalize-and-regulate line on prostitution, believing that this would give hookers legal recourse against maltreatment and improve their situation. UPDATE: And, yes, in this context it would seem that "by 'police ... demanding freebies' we mean police committing rape."

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2008/01/the-case-for-pimps/47914/