Introduction Over the years, prostitution has been a major topic of discussion within legal circles in the United States of America. Although there are no existing federal laws that define the legality of the occupation, most state governments have laws that criminalize the activities of people who engage in sexual intercourse for money (Farley 12). According to reports by various economic firms, prostitution spreads widely across the country in a lucrative industry that operates with minimal regulations. It is important to note that the federal government is not enumerated to regulate prostitution by the constitution (Raphael 30). This mandate is relegated to the state governments under the tenth amendment. Although there have been numerous campaigns geared towards the regulation of commercial sex, not all state governments have made the necessary efforts towards achieving the feat. Various arguments have been developed with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing prostitution in the United States (Kyle 42). One of the main factors behind this course has been numerous studies, which have established that commercial sex can be safe and profitable as long as the necessary regulatory measures are in place. These measures include regular testing of sex workers for sexually transmitted diseases and infections in order to keep their clients safe. Currently, the state of Nevada is the only one in the country where the occupation has been legalized up to the county levels (Farley 22). This gives a clear indication that the industry is highly unregulated, thus showing the huge gap that the relevant authorities have to fill. Discussion Studies have established that prostitution is a highly lucrative occupation that attracts even the educated people who have limited opportunities for income generation. Over the years, many people have believed that this industry is only suited to people with little education and of low social class. Another interesting element about prostitution in the United States is the fact that it is based on family ties and close friendships (Morehouse 100). The huge client base for commercial sex workers is the white population, closely followed by Latinos and the African Americans. The structure of the legal system in the country is one of the elements that have influenced the growth and expansion of the occupation over the years. According to the country’s laws, prostitution identifies as a public order crime because the authorities believe it highly contributes to disruption of community order (Kyle 52). The root cause of discrimination against prostitution in the country was the allegations of white slavery that started in 1908. At the time, the federal government carried out a survey among prostitutes in a bid to establish the way they got into the business. A number of the prostitutes claimed that they got into the commercial sex as victims of white slavery that entailed kidnappings (Morehouse 109). The findings of the report led to the creation of the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910 in a bid to end the transportation of females across states for commercial sex and other immoral purposes. The Supreme Court is highly involved in the process of discrimin