CALCRIM No. 1154. Prostitution: Soliciting Another (Pen. Code, § 647(b))
Judicial Council of California Criminal Jury Instructions (2024 edition)
Download PDF1154.Prostitution: Soliciting Another (Pen. Code, § 647(b))
The defendant is charged [in Count ] with soliciting another
person to engage in an act of prostitution [in violation of Penal Code
section 647(b)].
To prove that the defendant is guilty of this crime, the People must
prove that:
1. The defendant requested [or <insert other synonyms
for “solicit,” as appropriate>] that another person engage in an
act of prostitution;
[AND]
2. The defendant intended to engage in an act of prostitution with
the other person(;/.)
<Give element 3 when instructing that person solicited must receive
message; see Bench Notes.>
[AND
3. The other person received the communication containing the
request.]
A person engages in an act of prostitution if he or she has sexual
intercourse or does a lewd act with someone else in exchange for money
[or other compensation]. A lewd act means touching the genitals,
buttocks, or female breast of either the prostitute or customer with some
part of the other person’s body for the purpose of sexual arousal or
gratification. Under the law, when a prostitute and a customer engage in
sexual intercourse or lewd acts, both of them are engaged in an act of
prostitution.
New January 2006; Revised June 2007
BENCH NOTES
Instructional Duty
The court has a sua sponte duty to give this instruction defining the elements of the
crime.
One court has held that the person solicited must actually receive the solicitous
communication. (People v. Saephanh (2000) 80 Cal.App.4th 451, 458-459 [94
Cal.Rptr.2d 910].) In Saephanh, the defendant mailed a letter from prison containing
a solicitation to harm the fetus of his girlfriend. (Id. at p. 453.) The letter was
intercepted by prison authorities and, thus, never received by the intended person.
(Ibid.) If there is an issue over whether the intended person actually received the
communication, give bracketed element 3.
925
If the defendant is charged with one or more prior convictions, give CALCRIM No.
3100, Prior Conviction: Nonbifurcated Trial, unless the defendant has stipulated to
the conviction. If the court has granted a bifurcated trial on the prior conviction, use
CALCRIM No. 3101, Prior Conviction: Bifurcated Trial.
AUTHORITY
• Elements. Pen. Code, § 647(b).
• Prostitution Defined. Pen. Code, § 647(b); People v. Hill (1980) 103 Cal.App.3d
525, 534-535 [163 Cal.Rptr. 99]; Wooten v. Superior Court (2001) 93
Cal.App.4th 422, 431-433 [113 Cal.Rptr.2d 195] [lewd act requires touching
between prostitute and customer].
• Lewd Conduct Defined. Pryor v. Municipal Court (1979) 25 Cal.3d 238, 256
[158 Cal.Rptr. 330, 599 P.2d 636].
• Solicitation Requires Specific Intent. People v. Norris (1978) 88 Cal.App.3d
Supp. 32, 38 [152 Cal.Rptr. 134]; People v. Love (1980) 111 Cal.App.3d Supp.
1, 13 [168 Cal.Rptr. 591]; People v. Dell (1991) 232 Cal.App.3d 248, 264 [283
Cal.Rptr. 361].
• Solicitation Defined. People v. Superior Court (1977) 19 Cal.3d 338, 345-346
[138 Cal.Rptr. 66, 562 P.2d 1315].
• Person Solicited Must Receive Communication. People v. Saephanh (2000) 80
Cal.App.4th 451, 458-459 [94 Cal.Rptr.2d 910].
• Solicitation Applies to Either Prostitute or Customer. Leffel v. Municipal Court
(1976) 54 Cal.App.3d 569, 575 [126 Cal.Rptr. 773].
RELATED ISSUES
See the Related Issues section of CALCRIM No. 441, Solicitation: Elements.
SECONDARY SOURCES
2 Witkin & Epstein, California Criminal Law (4th ed. 2012) Sex Offenses and
Crimes Against Decency, §§ 76-78, 178.
6 Millman, Sevilla & Tarlow, California Criminal Defense Practice, Ch. 144, Crimes
Against Order, § 144.11[1] (Matthew Bender).
Couzens & Bigelow, Sex Crimes: California Law and Procedure §§ 12:16, 12:17
(The Rutter Group).
CALCRIM No. 1154 SEX OFFENSES
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© Judicial Council of California.