Rethink Resources

As if to prove my point from this post, police from a suburb of Chicago arrested a 17 year old (with an adult male and an adult woman) and charged her with running an escort service using Craigslist.

Although just a year ago she had been arrested at 16 with her mother for prostitution (that case was dropped) the police talk no further about her parents and name her as the ringleader. Her picture and name was broadcast since she was charged as an adult. Again demonstrating that law enforcement doesn’t treat all minors equally. I’m skeptical about the whole situation.

Craigslist was actually getting quite a bad round of press this week with the above item that went over the wires and made it into many papers nationally and this item as well. Police are both pointing out how internet postings have changed how people advertise services and how law enforcement does sting operations. Legal experts have weighed in and clear Craigslist of criminal liability.

By the way in the above item, CBS manages an attempt at hiding the identity of the young woman but still adds a sexually provocative picture (of a minor) to highlight their story.

Another article highlights a guilty plea to federal trafficking charges involving U.S. citizens - juveniles and adult women compelled through force. In another criminal prosecution, more charges were added in a juvenile pimping case in central Illinois. And lastly the inquest that I’ve linked to previously on Tracia Owens resumes this week.

Lastly, on news for Rethink Resources, I’ll be presenting at the May 17-18 Northwest Network for Youth Third Annual Basic Center Symposium in Portland, Oregon for youth workers at homeless and runaway youth centers.

More charges filed in prostitution ring case (Illinois) Wednesday, April 11, 2007 Champaign County prosecutors have added more charges against an Urbana man accused of running a juvenile prostitution ring out of his home. (John Haywood)

Teen troubled but got no counselling before suicide, inquest hears (Winnipeg) Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Group home staff suspected Tracia Owen had been repeatedly abused but counselling was never arranged for the Winnipeg teen who eventually committed suicide, an inquest heard as it resumed Tuesday.

17-year-old arrested for running prostitution service on Web (Illinois) Monday, April 9, 2007 A 17-year-old girl has been charged with running a prostitution service out of her suburban Chicago home using the popular Web site Craigslist.

Alleged Pimp Used Website For Teenage Prostitution (California) Friday, April 6, 2007 An alleged prostitution operation was busted in Sacramento. Investigators say a man was abusing Craigslist.org to traffic a 16-year-old prostitute. Jamil Brown is behind bars tonight charged with rape, pimping and pandering.

Connecticut sex-trafficker pleads guilty (DC) Friday April 6, 2007 Brian Forbes of Hartford, Conn., pleaded guilty yesterday to six counts related to his role in a sex-trafficking ring. Forbes is the ninth of ten defendants to plead guilty to federal charges in this case. In his plea agreement, Forbes has admitted to placing three juveniles in prostitution and compelling two adults into prostitution through force, fraud or coercion.