October 2022

Human Trafficking

GUEST EDITORS Sabrina Fernandez and Dawn Jones

Individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic status can be affected by the crime of human trafficking. Traffickers need only three things to succeed—vulnerable victims, willing buyers, and inconsistent enforcement. Myriad structural, cultural, and institutional barriers can prevent law enforcement from successfully identifying and disrupting human trafficking. This issue provides models and strategies that agencies have found successful in addressing labor and sex trafficking in their jurisdictions.

Articles

• Grassroots Policing Strategies to Combat Labor Trafficking

  By Natasha Haunsperger, Community Engagement Lead, Police Officer, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon
  As integral frontline components in the U.S. security infrastructure, local and state law enforcement can play a vital role in detecting, identifying, and disrupting labor trafficking operations in ...

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• Debunking Conventional Wisdom

  By Kristina A. Lugo-Graulich, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA); Leah F. Meyer, Founder, Human Trafficking Intelligence Project; Karen Souza, PhD, Senior Research Associate, JRSA; Susannah N. Tapp, PhD, Research Analyst, JRSA; Bailey Maryfield, MS, Senior Research Associate, Police Executive Research Forum; and Lindsay Bostwick, PhD, Research Associate, JRSA
  Law enforcement has long examined online escort advertisements to identify sex trafficking victims and investigate cases. These have included ads on websites such as Backpage, Craigslist, and MyRedboo...

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• Overlooked and Underserved

  By Suleman Masood, Council Chair, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking
  Recognizing and reporting human trafficking have steadily improved since the adoption of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). However, male victims remain among the most underserved and unde...

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• Working Together to Win Together

  By Kirsta Melton, Prosecutor, Founder/CEO, Institute to Combat Trafficking
  In a world where law enforcement is pushed to do more, be more, and meet ever-evolving needs, it is important to remember the core—the unique combination of power and responsibility that resides in ...

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• IACP 2022 Highlights

  The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exposition is the largest and most impactful law enforcement event of the year. More than 16,000 public safety profession...

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• 2022 IACP IDTS Recap

  On August 21–23, 2022, the IACP hosted the Impaired Driving and Traffic Safety Conference (IDTS). This conference blended the success of the previous Drugs, Alcohol, and Impaired Driving Conference ...

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