Public Order Crime

Public Order Crimes

Public order crimes are violations of public order and decency and are crimes without victims. Public order crimes do not involve real injury to other person. Rather they disturb the community, as in the case of prostitution, they may be injurious to the individual as in drunkenness and drug addiction.

There are striking differences in the behaviour systems of various public order crimes. Most public order offenders do not regard their criminal behaviour as part of their life organization.

The extent of prostitution and the reaction of society to it have fluctuated over years. Prostitution is a sexual intercourse on a promiscuous and mercenary basis with emotional indifference. Prior to entering into prostitution many call girls have had personal contact with some one professionally involved in call girl activities such as pimps or other call girls. Once a girl has become a prostitute her apprenticeship period begins under the direction of another call girl of a pimp. Here she learns the call girls sub culture, major characteristic of it being how to develop attitudes and behaviour patterns which are parts of their social role. They develop their own professional language, special acts and service. The prostitute is paid for her loss of social esteem. Many prostitutes are able to leave their occupation for marriage or, for employment as waitresses or sales girls. But for many who are affected by V. D. alcoholism and drug addiction the end is in a derelict life of crime and imprisonment. The prostitute rationalizes about commercial sex by the legitimate value of financial success in society. Arrests strengthen the self conception of a prostitute and other associates.

Some public order offences such as prostitution and homosexual behaviour grow out of and are rather heavily supported by clearly defined deviant subcultures. Prostitutes can be classified according to their method of operation as individual common prostitutes, organized houses of prostitution, and call girl and high class independent prostitutes. New girls are brought into the house and they soon learn various sex techniques. The call girl often depends upon some organization to recruit her patrons or through the intermediary services of a ball hop, hotel desk clerk, a taxi driver etc, who expect a fee. Prostitution is associated with panderers or pimps. Some prostitution is permitted by shady business of commercial recreation such as night clubs. Prostitutes have often been indoctrinated into the profession. Group solidarity exists for protection from Police.

Much of the behaviour of public order offenders is consistent with legitimate behaviour patterns of society. The prostitute’s behaviour is simply one way of satisfying legitimate heterosexual needs and is a commercial occupation.

Public order offences are considered as contrary to the system of morals of standards of proper conduct but social condemnation is mild. Indeed there is a dilemma between criminal actions as opposed to no action at all against behaviour such as prostitution. Attitudes toward prostitution have varied historically and today they differ widely. The attitudes toward and the social status of the prostitute according to Davis vary according to 3 conditions: (1) if the prostitute practices discrimination among customers (2) if her earnings are used for some socially desirable goal (3) If she combines with her sexual role other more acceptable roles. In Latin America prostitution is prohibited by law but people tolerate it in urban areas. Prostitution is opposed because of: (1) degradation of the prostitute (2) effects on general law enforcement through police protection (3) effect on marital relations and (4) the patronage of prostitutes by youths.