JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Several men were arrested Monday night in an undercover prostitution sting along Philips Highway, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
The men, who range in age from 21 to 56 years old, all face charges of soliciting for prostitution.
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Police said the men offered money to an undercover detective for sex.
Philips Highway is an area of town where prostitution crackdowns have often occurred.
While officers typically go after suspected prostitutes, News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said it's important to also go after the so-called "Johns."
"It's important to arrest the Johns in these types of stings, because if you arrest the buyer, it could lessen the demand for prostitution," Smith said. "However, it's only going to be effective if it's going to be done often and made public. That may keep some men away from being involved in this."
Some cities, such as Chicago, use money generated by fines from the arrests to donate toward women's help centers, Smith said.
He spoke Tuesday with the Women's Center of Jacksonville, and learned that the city does not have that program -- but it would be welcomed.
The men arrested were: