Dallas police and more than a dozen social service organizations are again teaming up to combat rampant prostitution at truck stops, says the Dallas Morning News. For the second time this year, police and more than 30 volunteers set up a staging area where women were given a choice: commit to a rehabilitation program catering to their needs or face possible jail time for years of criminal activity. Dallas police have documented more than 800 women who regularly engaged in prostitution in recent years at four truck stops. Mass arrests have failed to curb the problem and associated crimes.
Wednesday night, officers transported women and some men to the staging area, where they were met by dozens of volunteers. Surrounded by spotlights and portable heaters, the women sat with professionals who determined what services they needed and negotiated terms of potential treatment programs.