Criminal record and mandatory john school? And family embarrassment
Not quite. You can't get a criminal record without being tried first. They get sent to John School "in lieu of a criminal record." They don't want to tie up the court system with a whack of bullshit charges that won't stick and the police know this.
Until about 2003, there was very little they could do so they invented the DISC programme (Deter and Identify Sex Consumers) and John School as a deterrent (until then, they were just targeting the SWs). The John School costs $500 for a one day session and this, the police will tell you, is about the same cost as the fine you will receive plus a criminal record. So usually you choose John School.
It's a win-win for everyone, including the SWs as the $500 fine is put into an account that is supposedly used for necessities required by the SWs, like food, clothing, emergency shelter, bus ticket back to their home community, etc. The pooner escapes an embarrassing communication charge, the police don't need to write up long reports and appear in court, the courts, Crown Council and defenders don't need to tie up the system and everyone saves money...except the pooner.

Sounds like a good ol', typical Canadian home-grown political system.
Panther