Which researcher is most closely associated with prostitution stings research involving decoys?

• A. Carlos Cuevas
• B. Mary Dodge
• C. Elizabeth Groff
• D. Heather Zaykowski

Answer: (B)

Prostitution sting research using decoys focuses on how decoy operations are designed, implemented, and evaluated to understand their effectiveness, ethical implications, and impact on both offenders and the community. The researcher most closely linked to this line of work is Mary Dodge, who has been associated with studies examining decoy stings in prostitution enforcement and their outcomes. Her work helps illuminate how decoy strategies are set up, what kinds of behaviors they elicit, and what the resulting enforcement patterns can tell us about deterrence, resource use, and potential harms such as entrapment or victimization.

Other researchers listed are known for related criminology topics, but none are as strongly tied to decoy prostitution sting research as Dodge.