The Howard County Vice and Narcotics Unit?s January prostitution arrest of ex-UMBC assistant professor Brandy Britton has sparked new life into an age-old debate: Are prostitution arrests a good use of taxpayer dollars?

In 2005, police officers across the state of Maryland arrested more people on prostitution charges (1,898) than they did on charges of forcible rape (418), arson (572) and various other sex offenses (1,312). Howard police are on pace to triple their prostitution arrests this year. They?ve locked up 52 people, including Britton, on charges of prostitution this year, compared to 18 in all of 2005.