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 Mississippi, prostitution and related offenses are criminalized under state law. Prostitution is defined as engaging in, or offering or agreeing to engage in sexual activity with another person in exchange for a fee. This includes not only the act of prostitution itself but also the solicitation, promotion, or compulsion of prostitution. Mississippi law prohibits a wide range of activities associated with prostitution, including pimping (benefiting financially from the prostitution of another), pandering (procuring a person for the purpose of prostitution), and maintaining brothels. These offenses are typically classified as misdemeanors, but certain circumstances, such as promoting the prostitution of a minor, can elevate the charge to a felony. Penalties for prostitution-related crimes can include fines, imprisonment, or both, and the severity of the punishment generally depends on the specific nature of the offense and the offender's criminal history.