NCJ Number
83835
Date Published
1982
Length
72 pages
Annotation
GAO investigated the extent of teenage prostitution and child involvement in pornography in the country and Federal, State, and local efforts to deal with these problems.
Abstract
Data were obtained from a literature search and questionnaires sent to the 50 States, 3 territories, and the police departments and mayors' offices of the 22 largest U.S. cities, as well as indepth studies of teenage prostitution and child pornography in Los Angeles and New York City. Because officials reported the inadequacy of official data, their estimates of the extent of teenage prostitution and child pornography are based on 'gut hunches' and an assumption that teenagers compose a given percentage of all prostitutes. Officials generally believe that the number of teenage prostitutes has increased during the past 5 years. Teenage female prostitutes are usually from home environments characterized by abuse and neglect, along with drug and alcohol abuse. Some of these juveniles view prostitution as exciting and a way to make easy money, although many are dependent upon prostitution for income, particularly females. Whereas many teenage female prostitutes have a poor self-image, many enjoy their work and have a positive self-image. Prostitution generally brings negative emotional effects on participants and makes it difficult to adjust to normative employment. Children involved in pornography can suffer extensive and lengthy emotional distress. Youths involved in prostitution or pornography may receive services from shelters exclusively for teenage prostitutes (only four of these were found), shelters not exclusively for prostitutes but frequently used by teenage prostitutes, and social service agencies. A selected bibliography of about 70 listings is appended, along with proposed solutions to minimize sexual exploitation of children. (Author summary modified)