In a world of layoffs, bank bailouts and general malaise over the economy, the world's oldest profession seems to be doing just fine, thank you.
The RedEye reports that prostitution-related arrests were up more than 4.5 percent the first two months of this year, compared to the same period in 2008.
Chicago police say they made 584 arrests in January and February. The majority of the paid hookups are occuring in hotels and not on the street, according to a spokesman for Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
Earlier this month Dart announced plans to file a lawsuit against Craigslist.org, calling it the "single largest source of prostitution in the nation."
The article also quotes a University of Chicago study estimating that there's 4,400 prostitutes on city streets on an average week, earning $25 to $30 an hour.
