Denver ‘Johns’ Get 15 Minutes of Infamy
The city of Denver’s cable channel unveiled a new program featuring the mug shots of men convicted of soliciting prostitutes.
“Johns-TV,” part of a crackdown on prostitution, debuted with 11 men.
“If you choose to risk catching a sexually transmitted disease, you now also choose to take the risk of having your picture appear on TV for the whole world to see,” said Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.
Denver instituted the program to curb prostitution, primarily along Colfax Avenue, a main east-west thoroughfare that winds through downtown and into residential neighborhoods.
Increased police patrols and sting operations failed to put a dent in the trade, according to the mayor.
The mug shots are also posted on the city’s Web site, complete with a search function to locate people by name.
The cable program and Web site will be updated monthly.
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