A conviction for solicitation of prostitution can be socially stigmatized and it can have severe effects on your future. The legal system's attitude toward this crime varies greatly depending upon where a person is charged. Some cities are very lenient, especially when the accused does not have a criminal history, but in other jurisdictions courts act as if they want to make an example of almost every case. Despite this, it is possible to avoid prosecution anywhere if the correct defense is used.
Innocence
In some places, prostitution charges are so popular that the courts are well aware that innocent people are commonly arrested. One reason this happens is because these types of arrests are often mass actions. Law enforcement officials often target a specific business or location and indiscriminately charge numerous people.
Many people who are charged with solicitation of prostitution can argue their innocence on the grounds of a misunderstanding. Every adult has misunderstood a joke or took a comment the wrong way at least once. Police officers are not immune to making the same mistakes. For this reason, it is very important to have a legal professional thoroughly analyze the exact wording of any conversations that occurred prior to the arrest of the accused.
Insufficient Evidence
There are usually only two witnesses in a solicitation of prostitution case-- the accused and the accuser. This creates a situation where one person's word must be weighed against that of another person. Courts are often weary of convicting an individual of a crime that only a single other person can attest to. When there is no evidence other than a police officer's testimony and the report that he filed, the accused has a good opportunity to argue that the charge should be dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Entrapment
Courts are not supposed to convict people for acts that they commit because police officers convinced them to. If a police officer gets a person to engage in a criminal act that the the individual was not planning to commit or wouldn't have committed otherwise, the individual has been entrapped and the resulting case should be dismissed. This is another reason why the exact wording of any conversations is important.
Legal Assistance
If you have been charged with solicitation of prostitution contact an attorney to ensure the best outcome of your case. With a skilled attorney chances of avoiding prosecution can drastically increase.