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Dallas' STAR Court Helps Prostitutes Rehab, Avoid Jail

By David Badertscher, PLL

<p><font size="2">Source: Crime & Justice News</font></p> <p><font size="2">"</font><font size="2">About 20 former Dallas prostitutes have given up selling their bodies in exchange for freedom, reports the Dallas Morning News. They are participants in the STAR Court, which stands for Strengthening, Transition and Recovery. State District Judge Lana Myers started it in July to help get habitual prostitutes off the streets. The women meet in her courtroom on Monday afternoons to talk about their progress and their setbacks. </font></p> <p><font size="2">It is believed to be the only such 'prostitution court' in the state. The judge said some of the women have told her that their court-ordered meetings are motivating and a good way for them to start the week. 'I didn't anticipate that, but I am glad it's happening,' Myers said. 'Many of these women have never had anybody take a real interest in them other than some man who is trying to get them to prostitute themselves for money.' Defense attorneys, licensed counselors, and probation officers also attend the weekly meetings. The women must participate in specialized counseling and drug rehabilitation in addition to the court sessions. If not for STAR Court, the women would all be serving jail time for felony prostitution arrests, which means they have already been convicted at least twice before of misdemeanor prostitution." </font></p> <p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001D4jKiNShyS_QsTG17T4QMWWUOTE81hGbBJSiPGJVO_qzFTnNGxjZvKucyX5rzBd78Q4lFg7LcJbmesDrF-_pYOFQ0pc4CMRMM90rTY6IZ6y6mH12QcrnEtK2g3gzM5s2mg2ETwJR58XyJyaJUIW48wZgFr6tew5yqkqbaYHl3uOA1ONNJzEEpeE5kixgqNKWCubwlm3pT2ydgeUCaKZJ_JWeFOwRWdpC" shape="rect" color="#0000FF" target="_blank"><font size="2">Dallas Morning News</font></a><font size="2"> </font></p>

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on October 28, 2008 (boomark / email).