158-2000 LTC
I
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\ci.miami-beach.f1.us
L.T.C. No. 158-2000
LETTER TO COMMISSION
August 10, 2000
SUBJECT:
Mayor Neisen 0, Kasdin and
Members of the City Commission
Lawrence~:e:'p ~~
City Man ~
PROSTITUTION MAPPING PROGRAM UPDATE
TO:
FROM:
This Letter to the Mayor and City Commission is to announce a new law enforcement iniative being
undertaken by the Police Department to reduce prostitution in the City.
This new iniative is called the Prostitution Mapping Program. The Prostitution Mapping Program
is designed to reduce repeat prostitution offenses by denying prostitutes access to areas which have
experienced a high concentration of illegal activity.
Street Prostitution has historically been prevalent in the City in the areas of South Beach. Prostitutes
and their Pimps congregate in those areas awaiting customers and then commit sex acts in vehicles,
abandoned properties and hotels. Customers routinely cruise the area, aware of the reputation ofthe
neighborhoods, ranging from personal experience to the internet. Following their arrests, prostitutes
return to those areas and commit further acts of prostitution. As a result of the prostitution activity,
the neighborhoods and businesses suffer reduced property values, difficultly in attracting business
and what is most important, a reduction in the quality of life.
The Prostitution Mapping Program requires that a Prostitution Mapping Zone (PMZ) be established,
This zone is a specific geographic area which arrest records show is the predominant area where
prostitution activity and arrests occur. In our City, our PMZ creates a zone that includes 5th Street
to the Atlantic Ocean as its southern boundary, the shoreline up to 23'd Street as its eastern boundary,
23'd Street to Dade Boulevard as its northern boundary, and W ashington Avenue south as its western
boundary. (Please see the attached map).
Defendants convicted for misdemeanor acts of prostitution would be sentenced to the maximum
allowable probation with a special condition of the probation that the defendant is prohibited from
returning to the PMZ, A defendant who returns to this area during their probation subjects
him/herself to arrest for violation of probation. Florida law allows a law enforcement officer to
make probable cause arrests for violations of probation.
Letter to the Commission
Prostitution Mapping Program
Page 2
The Miami-Dade State's Attorney, Clerk's Office and Courts fully support this effort and have
provided assistance to our Police Department. The Police Department began the program on
Monday, August 7, 2000.
This Program is one of several community policing tools and concepts being applied in an effort to
bring relief to our citizens, visitors and business community plagued with the problem of
prostitution, Other communities in Florida have used this program and have had success with it in
reducing the instances of prostitution as well as improving the quality of life for the areas affected.
The Police Department is to be commended for it's initiative in establishing this program.
I will keep the Mayor and City Commission advised as to the progress of the Program.
LAL~:CP:PS:MMS
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