A person generally commits the crime of prostitution by engaging in sexual contact or offering to engage in sexual contact in exchange for money or other consideration.

It is also a criminal offense to solicit (on a person's own behalf, or on behalf of another person), promote, or compel prostitution. For example, most states have laws that make it illegal to buy, sell, or profit from prostitution—which is generally the business of pimps and other human traffickers—known as pimping, pandering, procuring, soliciting, promoting, or compelling prostitution.

Prostitution laws vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Massachusetts, prostitution is illegal under state law. The crime of prostitution typically involves engaging in, or agreeing to engage in, sexual conduct with another person in exchange for a fee, or offering to perform such conduct for a fee. This is outlined in Chapter 272, Section 53A of the Massachusetts General Laws. Additionally, the law criminalizes the solicitation of sex for a fee, which means that it is illegal to request, agree to, or engage in sexual conduct for a fee, not only for the person offering the services but also for the person seeking them. The law also targets those who profit from or promote prostitution, such as pimps and traffickers, under various statutes related to deriving support from the earnings of a prostitute, keeping a house of prostitution, and trafficking persons for sexual servitude. Penalties for these offenses can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the crime and the circumstances involved.