Prostitution and Crime Trends in Nevada

• In Event: Navigating Sex Work: Stigma, Identity Formation, and Crime Policy

Abstract

Does legalized prostitution have criminogenic consequences? As the only U.S. state where some counties allow legal prostitution while others prohibit it, Nevada offers a rare opportunity to explore this question. This study uses Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data to examine crime trends across legal and illegal prostitution markets in Nevada. Findings provide insight into the link between prostitution laws and patterns of property and violent crime rates with implications for policy discussions on the decriminalization of sex work in the United States.

Authors

• Zoraya Berlanga Aguilar, Texas A&M University

• Jonathan C. Reid, Texas A&M University

• Samantha Brown, University of North Florida