By Sara Lin 03/14/2012
Five years ago, vice officers with the Honolulu Police Department arrested prostitutes and johns at a rate of more than one a day. In 2007, police made 477 prostitution arrests.
But that number has declined dramatically in the years since: Police made less than half as many arrests in 2011 as they did five years ago, a Civil Beat investigation found.
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The maximum fine for someone convicted of a petty misdemeanor in Hawaii is $1,000, but there's a legal exception made for johns, who face a lower mandatory fine of $500. Convicted first-offender johns also face up to 30 days in jail. But most first time offenders take what's known as a Deferred Acceptance of Guilty Plea or Nolo Contendere Plea. In most cases, this means charges will be dismissed and removed from their record after six months so long as the defendant stays out of trouble.
The law does not discriminate between johns and prostitutes. The police arrest log lists only the charge administered, and does not indicate whether an arrestee was a prostitute or customer.
More:
http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/03/14/15150-cops-prostitutes-and-pimps-honolulu-prostitution-arrests-declining/
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