No one thinks drunks peeing and vomiting in the street is a good thing either. Of course no one, or few, think prostitution is a 'good thing'.
The aim has been to reduce street prostitution so women can work in safer environments, and Noel outlined some of this. There are detailed laws regarding both street and house prostitution. This is what Australia has done in regard to prostitution. The choices are to let these activities remain illegal, and have an overworked police force, or control it. Where there's repression there's going to be crime, illegal activity. Studies in Japan have shown that as the pornography industry expanded, sex-related crimes dropped. Alcohol cannot be controlled any more than sex can.
Prohibition didn't work, in fact it increased underworld crime. No one thinks all the alcohol-related crime is a good thing (especially me! as I see it all the time). No one thinks getting blind drunk is a good thing. Just a few points in reply to marg as I don't have very much time.
