IN 1977 THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO SPENT OVER $2 MILLION TO ARREST, DEFEND, PROSECUTE, AND JAIL PEOPLE FOR PROSTITUTION. DURING THE SAME YEAR, 2,938 ARRESTS FOR PROSTITUTION WERE MADE; MANY OF THESE WERE REPEAT ARRESTS. FOR THIS STUDY, RESEARCHERS INTERVIEWED 60 STREET PROSTITUTES, 30 FEMALES AND 30 MALES. A 10-PAGE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE WAS ADMINISTERED IN A SESSION LASTING 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR. WHEREVER POSSIBLE, RESPONSES WERE CHECKED FOR VALIDITY WITH OFFICIAL RECORDS. OF THE 60 STREET PROSTITUTES INTERVIEWED, 80 PERCENT HAD BEEN EITHER VICTIMS OF INCEST, SEXUAL ABUSE, OR RAPE PRIOR TO THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN PROSTITUTION, AND 65 PERCENT HAD BEEN RUNAWAYS. THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS WHEN ENTERING PROSTITUTION WAS 17.5 YEARS; THE RANGE WAS FROM 11 TO 26 YEARS. FORTY-THREE PERCENT HAD NOT GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, 33 PERCENT HAD A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, AND 24 PERCENT HAD SOME COLLEGE OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING. OF THE FEMALES INTERVIEWED, 37 PERCENT HAD CHILDREN. ONLY 12 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD ANY MONEY SAVED. ALL HAD BEEN ARRESTED AT LEAST ONCE AND SOME AS MANY AS 30 TIMES FOR PROSTITUTION. THE MAJORITY OF THE RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED A PIMP OR 'OLD MAN.' MOST CITED MONEY AS THE REASON FOR BECOMING INVOLVED IN THE TRADE; THE AVERAGE FEMALE EARNED $36,000 ANNUALLY (TAX-FREE) BUT USUALLY GAVE THE MONEY TO THE PIMP. FEW RESOURCES EXIST FOR PERSONS WISHING TO LEAVE PROSTITUTION. SHELTERS, TRAINING PROGRAMS, JOB DEVELOPMENT, CHILD CARE, COUNSELING, AND A 24-HOUR HOTLINE ARE NEEDED. JUVENILE RUNAWAYS WHO BECOME PROSTITUTES FOR LACK OF ALTERNATIVES ARE OFTEN SENT BACK HOME TO ABUSIVE SITUATIONS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PROSTITUTION BE DECRIMINALIZED NATIONWIDE AND THAT VIABLE ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES FOR EX-PROSTITUTES BE DEVELOPED. FOOTNOTES, A GLOSSARY, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY, ARE PROVIDED. TABULAR DATA ON ARRESTS AND COSTS, INFORMATION ON ALTERNATIVES SYSTEMS, PROFILES OF STREET PROSTITUTES, LISTS OF GROUPS AND AGENCIES CONTACTED, A RESOURCE LIST, AND INTERVIEW SCHEDULES FOR PROSTITUTES AND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS ARE APPENDED. (PRG)