Perceptions of the Sex Trade in Bosnia and Herzegovina A Comparative Analysis of Practitioners and Future Practitioners

• Published in: International criminal justice review Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 174 - 193
• Main Authors: Smith, Molly, Muftić, Lisa R., Deljkić, Irma, Grubb, Jonathan A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2015; College of Public and Urban Affairs, Georgia State University
• Subjects: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Comparative analysis; Crime; Criminal justice; Criminal law; Criminology; Human trafficking; Legislation; Prohibition; Prostitution; Public opinion; Regression analysis; Sex crime; Sex industry; Social perception; Bosnia-Hercegovina; human trafficking; sex crimes; criminal victimization
• ISSN: 1057-5677; 1556-3855
• DOI: 10.1177/1057567715577832

Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken a prohibitionist stance when it comes to the commercial sex trade. In the last decade, legislation has been passed outlawing the solicitation, procurement, and enticement of prostitution. Yet, the country continues to be criticized by the international community for failing to adequately address the sex trade within the country, which is cited as a contributing factor in the country’s delayed accession into the European Union. Furthermore, little is known regarding how criminal justice (CJ) practitioners (current and future) view the sex trade, including their support for current legislation prohibiting prostitution. This is an important line of inquiry as prior research indicates practitioner behavior may be influenced by attitudinal beliefs. As such, this study set out to evaluate practitioners’ support for various CJ responses to the sex trade (e.g., legalization of prostitution, the arrest, imprisonment, and/or deportation of various actors within the sex trade) as well as uncover what factors are related to this support, including professional experience and/or participant sex. Bivariate and logistic regression results primarily indicate differences between the groups with regard to their attitudes toward prostitution and misperceptions of human trafficking. Implications from these findings as well as limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed.