'Child prostitutes should be treated as victims rather than criminals, new Home Office guidelines have recommended.'
This shows that it was routine for sexually exploited children to be subject to crimminalization, instead of rehabilitation. Article mentions police cautions for children. 'Cautions' for 'soliciting' and 'loitering' were usually fines. Children were arrested and fined more than 'kerb crawlers' (people who paid to rape). Children were left with crimminal records as a result, which impacted their future lives.