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Despite public attention to the problem of human trafficking, it has proven difficult to measure the problem. Improving the quality of information about human trafficking is critical to developing sound anti-trafficking policy. In support of this effort, in 2013 the Federal Bureau of Investigation incorporated human trafficking offenses in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. Despite this achievement, there are many reasons to expect the UCR program to underreport human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies struggle to identify human trafficking and distinguishing it from other crimes. Additionally, human trafficking investigations may not be accurately classified in official data sources. Finally, human trafficking presents unique challenges to summary and incident-based crime reporting methods. For these reasons, it is important to understand how agencies identify and report human trafficking cases within the UCR program and what part of the population of human trafficking victims in a community are represented by UCR data. This study provides critical information to improve law enforcement identification and reporting of human trafficking.

Coding criminal incidents investigated as human trafficking offenses in three US cities, supplemented by interviews with law and social service stakeholders in these locations, this study answers the following research questions:

• How are human trafficking cases identified and reported by the police?
• What sources of information about human trafficking exist outside of law enforcement data?
• What is the estimated disparity between actual instances of human trafficking and the number of human trafficking offenses reported to the UCR?

This project developed novel prescriptive analytics to assist criminal justice practitioners in the decision-making process in disrupting human trafficking networks, as well as develop a network generator that will simulate human trafficking networks. These analytics will be based on network interdiction problems, a class of mathematical problems that have been successfully applied to the disruption of nuclear smuggling and drug trafficking networks. Current limitations on applying network interdiction problems to disrupting human trafficking is the uncertainty in the network structure and that traffickers will react to any disruption efforts to mitigate their losses. We improved upon network interdiction models by incorporating how traffickers might react in response to disruption efforts. These models were tested on synthetic but realistic network data on domestic sex trafficking networks.

This research project developed and fully documented a method to estimate the number of females and males trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation from eight countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela) into the United States at the Southwest border. The model utilizes only open source data. This research represents the first phase of a two-phase project and

• Provides a conceptual framework for identifying potential data sources to estimate the number of victims at different stages in trafficking
• Develops statistical models to estimate the number of males and females at risk of being trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation from the eight countries, and the number of males and females actually trafficked for sex and labor
• Incorporates into the estimation models the transit journey of trafficking victims from the eight countries to the southwest border of the United States
• Designs the estimation models such that they are highly flexible and modular so that they can evolve as the body of data expands
• Utilizes open source data as inputs to the statistical model, making the model accessible to anyone interested in using it
• Presents preliminary estimates that illustrate the use of the statistical methods
• Illuminates gaps in data sources.

The data included in this collection are the open source data which were primarily used in the models to estimate the number of males and females at risk of being trafficked.

The 2018 Atlanta Youth Count (AYC18), a follow-up to the 2015 Atlanta Youth Count and Needs Assessment (AYCNA), was expanded in 2018 to specifically address sex and labor trafficking among youth experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta. This project was designed to provide impact on court, law enforcement, and victim service practices at the jurisdictional level in Georgia, and beyond.

Homeless youth in metro Atlanta and surrounding counties were contacted through outreach efforts at youth shelters, motels, and street locations where homeless youth tend to congregate. Data collection focused on basic demographic information, history of homelessness, health, sexual experiences, and social supports.

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study measures the size and structure of the underground commercial sex economy in eight major US cities: San Diego, Seattle, Dallas, Denver, Washington, DC, Kansas City, Atlanta, and Miami. The goals of this study were to derive a more rigorous estimate of the underground commercial sex economy (UCSE) in eight major US cities and to provide an understanding of the structure of this underground economy.

Researchers relied on a multi-method approach using both qualitative and quantitative data to estimate the size of UCSE including:

1. Collecting official data on crime related to the underground weapons and drugs economies
2. Conducting semi-structured interviews with convicted traffickers, pimps, child pornographers, and sex workers at the federal, state, and local levels
3. Conducting semi-structured interviews with local and federal police investigators and prosecutors to inform our analysis of the interrelationship across different types of underground commercial sex activity.

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they there received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except of the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompany readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collections and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

Validation data (Human Trafficking Data, n = 180) was collected through 180 structured interviews with victim service provider clients who responded to the screening tool. The screening tool was administered by the victim service providers at regular intakes or subsequent interview sessions between July 2012 and June 2013. Service providers were instructed to invite any potential trafficking victims, that is persons who may have been trafficked or subject to similar crimes, whom they judge to be emotionally stable enough to participate. Status as a trafficking victim did not have to be determined in advance of the interview, since a mix of trafficked and non-trafficked clients in the study sample was necessary to establish the validity and predictive ability of the screening tool.

Researchers also conducted confidential case file reviews during site visits at partner agencies, and in-depth interviews with service providers (n = 12 from 11 agencies), clients (n = 7 from 6 agencies) and key informant interviews (n = 12) with law enforcement officers, prosecutors and probation officers.

The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council in 2013 called for a paradigm shift within the justice system, toward treating minors involved in commercial sex as victims instead of criminals. Their call ultimately led to a proliferation at the state level of safe harbor laws--laws designed to remove the punitive sanctions for young victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The goal of this study was to begin measuring the impact of safe harbor laws. The methodology blends quantitative and qualitative analyses in a three-phase design.

Phase 1, a legal review, concentrates on the evolution of safe harbor laws in the United States. It presents an overview of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), details the philosophy and conceptualization of safe harbor laws, and presents findings regarding state-level efforts to adopt safe harbor laws.

Phase 2 uses elements of the legal review to conduct a quantitative assessment of safe harbor laws employing a quasi-experimental, longitudinal design to compare counties that have and have not implemented safe harbor laws over an 11-year period (2005-15).

Phase 3 involves an in-depth qualitative assessment of two states: one that implemented safe harbor laws and demonstrated positive outcomes, and one that implemented safe harbor laws without demonstrating positive outcomes.

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study was a process evaluation of three programs funded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to identify and provide services to victims of sex and labor trafficking who are U.S citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPR) under the age of 18. The three programs evaluated in this study were:

1. The Standing Against Global Exploitation Everywhere (SAGE) Project
2. The Salvation Army Trafficking Outreach Program and Intervention Techniques (STOP-IT) program
3. The Streetwork Project at Safe Horizon

Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) is an increasingly urgent problem for criminal justice systems in the United States. Despite the staggering individual and societal consequences of CSE, evidence-based prevention and intervention programs are profoundly lacking. This study used a quasi-experimental, mixed methods, longitudinal follow-up design to evaluate a service provision program for CSE survivors or those identified as high-risk for CSE, My Life My Choice (MLMC). Researchers followed youth who received MLMC services from baseline to multiple follow-up points to see how they progressed over time in terms of building up resistance to being sexually exploited.

Youth received one of two different type of MLMC services. One group (Source 1) received one-on-one survivor mentoring, otherwise known as "tertiary prevention." Participants in this program are paired with mentors who have been trained and free from CSE for at least five years. Mentors provide long-term and consistent emotional support to exploited youth or those MLMC believes are at high-risk for exploitation. The Source 1 youth were recruited only from Massachusetts. They participated in quantitative and qualitative data collection at baseline, six months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline.

A second group (Source 2) received 3-10 sessions of a psychoeducational prevention group following the MLMC curriculum, otherwise known as "secondary prevention." These groups are led by trained facilitators and are intended for youth at high-risk for exploitation. Participants are taught about sexual exploitation, healthy relationships, sexual health, and how to find help. Source 2 youth received MLMC services in Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, or Connecticut. They participated in quantitative data collection at baseline, time of the last group session, and six months post-baseline.

Measured outcomes included instances of sexual exploitation in the past six months, frequency and type of substance use, partner abuse victimization, and housing stability. Researchers hypothesized that, among the secondary prevention group, youth who chose to interact with MLMC staff more often (in terms of attending educational sessions) would score higher on desired outcomes than those frequently absent or who do not interact with staff as often. Among the tertiary prevention group, researchers hypothesized that those who participated would demonstrate improved outcomes from baseline to six months and baseline to 12 months.

A critical gap in knowledge about service provision for domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) victims is why youth resist help from providers. This project asked DMST survivors about the barriers they experienced and their readiness to leave their commercial sexual exploitation. The study included an in-depth qualitative phase of formerly sex trafficked women (n=41), followed by a cross-sectional, self-report survey administered to recently trafficked young adults (n=94).

To increase understanding of the prosecution of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth (CSEC) offenders, the Urban Institute, a non-partisan social and economic policy research organization, along with Polaris Project, an anti-human trafficking organization based in the United States and Japan, were awarded a cooperative agreement from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to conduct a 12-month study on CSEC in the United States. The purpose of this research was to conduct a national analysis of federal prosecutions of CSEC-related cases from 1998 through 2005, in order to answer the following four research questions:

• Is the United States enforcing existing federal laws related to CSEC?
• What are key features of successfully prosecuted CSEC cases? What factors predict convictions in cases? What factors predict sentence length?
• Have the U.S. courts increased penalties associated with sexual crimes against children?
• What, if any, are the effects of CSEC legislation on service providers who work with these victims?

This study was a response to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act passed by Congress in 2005, which called for a collection of data; a comprehensive statistical review and analysis of human trafficking data; and a biennial report to Congress on sex trafficking and unlawful commercial sex acts. It examined the human trafficking experiences (and to a lesser extent commercial sex acts) among a random sample of 60 counties across the United States. In contrast to prior research that had examined the issue from a federal perspective, this study examined experiences with human trafficking at the local level across the United States. The specific aims of the research were to:

1. Identify victims and potential victims of domestic labor and sex trafficking;
2. Determine whether they have been identified as victims by law enforcement; and
3. Explore differences between sex trafficking and unlawful commercial sex.

To achieve these goals the researchers collected data through telephone interviews with local law enforcement, prosecutors, and service providers; a mail-out statistical survey completed by knowledgeable officials in those jurisdictions; and an examination of case files in four local communities. This latter effort consisted of reviewing incident and arrest reports and charging documents for a variety of offenses that might have involved criminal conduct with characteristics of human trafficking. Through this method, the researchers not only gained a sense of how local authorities handled these types of cases but also the ways in which trafficking victims "fall through the cracks" in the interfaces between local and federal judicial systems as well as among local, state, and federal law enforcement and social service systems.

There have been many studies about how sex traffickers recruit sex workers. However, very few studies evaluated how sex traffickers are recruited and learn to recruit sex workers or sex trafficking victims or facilitate sex work, along with facilitation strategies, including interpersonal and economic coercion. This study aimed to close the gap in the literature by investigating the etiology of becoming a sex trafficker or a sex market facilitator and how this knowledge is transmitted across the generations.

This mixed methods study used Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) to recruit and survey sex traffickers in New York City and Chicago. Both cities have a long history of many types of sex market facilitation, ranging from ancillary roles in sex market facilitation up to sex trafficking. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 183 sex market facilitators (New York City (n=84) and Chicago (n=99)) about facilitators' social learning processes and social and criminal networks. Additionally, this study collected rich qualitative narratives, revealing how facilitators perceived themselves, their self-identities, and their roles as mentors. These data were recorded, stored securely, and later coded by researchers into a quantitative dataset deposited with ICPSR. This quantitative dataset captures facilitator/trafficker demographic characteristics and includes variables describing how sex traffickers are groomed or mentored to be traffickers, how they groom new traffickers, and how they interact and network socially with other traffickers and sex workers. The aforementioned qualitative data are not included in this release.

This study extended the understanding of human trafficking among youth involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems by examining relationships among trafficking victimization, youth characteristics, and experiences in the juvenile justice, child welfare, and criminal justice systems. Using de-identified linked administrative data provided by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), researchers:

1. informed identification of trafficking victimization by assessing the predictive utility of Florida's Human Trafficking Screening Tool, using ordered multinomial regressions and factor analysis;
2. informed response to trafficked youth by describing characteristics of those who experience trafficking during juvenile justice or child welfare supervision, or who enter juvenile justice supervision with prior human trafficking allegations, using descriptive statistics and linear and logistic regression;
3. informed secondary prevention for at-risk youth by identifying those at greatest risk of human trafficking throughout adolescence, and informed tertiary prevention among trafficked youth by identifying those at greatest risk of subsequent victimization following an initial trafficking allegation;
4. investigated the longitudinal association between human trafficking allegations and subsequent juvenile and adult criminal charges. Data collection included all youth served by DCF who were born in or after 1993, and whose records included at least one maltreatment allegation before February 29th, 2020.

This study analyzed client data from Love146, a non-profit organization that serves youth known or suspected of experiencing commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) victimization. All youth in the state of Connecticut referred to Love 146 receive a brief one-time Rapid Response intervention. A subset of these youth are then referred for Long-Term Services (LTS), intensive year-long clinical and support services. This study examines the trauma histories, service trajectories, and service outcomes for 455 youth referred to Love 146 between July 2016 and May 2021. The study compares characteristics of youth who received only Rapid Response services (n=271) to those who went on to enroll into LTS (n=185). Analyses also considered whether demographic, environmental, or adversity variables predicted successful or unsuccessful LTS service trajectories for youth. Researchers found that youth enrolled in the Love146 LTS program were significantly more likely than those who just received Rapid Response services to be younger and have confirmed (versus suspected) CSE victimization. With the exception of regular school attendance at the time of referral, adversity and risk profiles did not distinguish youth who successfully completed LTS from those who did not. Implications for improving services for this population of youth are discussed.

Policy makers and advocates have urged the development of interventions and programs that can provide children and youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) with needed services to reduce the likelihood of re-victimization and improve physical health, mental health, and education goals. Communities have responded by developing a variety of service models. However, there is little information about which youth can access CSE services or what service trajectories and outcomes look like for these youth. The non-profit organization Love146 has provided services to youth impacted by CSE through their Survivor Care program since 2014. The current study analyzes five years of de-identified client data from this program to understand the adversity histories of referred youth, and to identify which youth are most likely to access services over longer periods of time, with more successful outcomes.

With the aim of improving precision in sex trafficking victim identification and investigations, this exploratory, mixed-methods study had two objectives: 1) To investigate whether there are indicators that differentiate online escort ads related to sex trafficking from ads for non-trafficked sex work, and 2) if so, to determine which indicators are most likely to predict whether the ad represents a case of sex trafficking.

Research activities took place over a three-year period (2018-2021). First, the research team developed the set of indicators to test based on previous literature and insight from three sets of focus groups: law enforcement and victim advocates, trafficking survivors, and non-trafficked sex workers. Focus groups also provided insight into indicators that may be misinterpreted and into how advertising practices have changed, especially since the passage of FOSTA (Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act) and SESTA (Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act), and the shutdown of Backpage.com by the FBI.

Second, the researchers collected investigative file information on closed cases involving escort ads from several locations in the United States, using phone numbers identified in each case to pull associated ads missing from case files from one of three web scraper databases (the MEMEX archive and the active TellFinder and HTI Labs' Law Enforcement Assistant for Dismantling Sex Trafficking Networks (LEADS) web scrapers). The final dataset includes 318 closed commercial sex and massage cases investigated in seven states, with 1,586 unique associated ads covering 35 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada. Researchers also pulled additional ads not present in the case files from the scraper archives to conduct three case studies of trafficking movement patterns, network management, and advertising structures to provide context for the hypothesis test results.

Finally, after analysis of the ad- and case-level data, a second round of focus groups was conducted to obtain each group's responses to the results, advice on interpretation, and input on recommendations.

The case-level (DS1) and ad-level (DS2) quantitative data are currently available in this collection. The qualitative data will be released at a future date. Please refer to the ICPSR README and the study documentation for more information about the files.

To combat prostitution and sex trafficking, criminal justice strategies and collaborative programs have emerged that focus on reducing consumer-level demand. From 2008 to 2012, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) sponsored a study entitled "A National Overview of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Efforts" (referred to as Part I) that featured the systematic collection of information to determine the types and distribution of demand reduction tactics implemented throughout the United States. These efforts gave rise to a typology of law enforcement and community-based tactics identifying 12 different methods for deterring people (mostly men) from buying sex or which sanction those individuals who solicit sex acts. The essential product of that study was the Demand Forum website, launched in January 2013 by Abt Associates. In the years that followed, Demand Forum provided information about demand reduction interventions in the United States, and its content was updated and expanded through daily web searches and supplemented by periodic literature reviews or direct contact with a network of practitioners and other experts. During the website's first seven years of operation, it was viewed by more than 262,000 individuals from 179 countries and was used to shape policy and practice within the United States. However, innovations in the field, primarily new tactics using information technology (IT) to deter buyers and develop evidence to apprehend those actively seeking to purchase sex, have emerged since Demand Forum's launch.

The current study (referred to as Part II) builds upon the methodology and knowledge base of the initial study to keep the field informed of innovations and evolving responses to buyer behaviors and to continue to provide support for practice and policy. Beginning January 2021, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), which now maintains Demand Forum, conducted a systematic assessment of current demand reduction tactics and created an expanded tactic typology to reflect recent innovations intended to reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking markets. The project also aimed to provide updated information and resources that could be used by practitioners. The methodology for identifying new information about existing tactics and their implementation in U.S. cities and counties featured a web-based survey distributed to more than 3,200 law enforcement agencies, more than 50 interviews with expert practitioners and survivors, searches of thousands of open source reports, reviews of the research and practice literature, and reviews of prostitution laws within all 50 states.

NOTE: Data collected from the survey and interviews during this project were intended to verify information about demand reduction tactics and were not meant for analysis. This collection is limited to the online survey data.

This three-year study used quantitative and qualitative data collected between 2003 and 2015 to assess the scale and nature of gang involvement in sex trafficking in San Diego, California. At the time of study, San Diego was ranked as one of the United States' highest areas of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). This mixed-methods study has generated the following datasets:

• Survivor Services Dataset (DS1 and DS2): A composite of intake surveys conducted by the prostitution diversion program Freedom From Exploitation (FFE) (DS1) and eight organizations that provide direct services to sex trafficking victims/survivors (DS2)
• Law Enforcement Reporting Dataset (DS3 and DS4): Booking records provided by the San Diego Sheriff's Department (DS3), and arrest records provided by the Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS) (DS4)
• Schools Dataset (DS5): Summaries of focus group interviews of staff employed by San Diego County school districts (due to disclosure concerns, full transcripts were not released)
• Facilitator Interview Dataset (DS6): Summaries of interviews of incarcerated and community members with knowledge of trafficking (due to disclosure concerns, full transcripts were not released)
• Social Media Analytics Dataset (DS7): Search criteria and schema of relevant data fields for social network analysis conducted using Twitter data (due to disclosure concerns and dataset size, the social media data themselves were not released)

Survivor services, law enforcement, schools, and facilitator interview data were all collected and analyzed as part of the main NIJ award. The social media analytics data were collected and analyzed under a subaward by the SecDev Cyber Group.

This project examined practices and initiatives undertaken by prosecutors across the United States to address trafficking in persons (TIP) in order to learn about TIP case identification and case building; when jurisdictions prosecute utilizing their state's TIP statute or alternative charges; and how prosecutors approach victim identification, serving victims, and increasing convictions and penalties for traffickers and buyers. It also sought to draw lessons learned that other jurisdictions can use to begin this work or increase their capacity and effectiveness, regardless of size or location. This project was a partnership between the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) and the National District Attorney's Association (NDAA) and consisted of two phases. Phase I was a national survey of prosecutors and Phase II was a series of four case studies in jurisdictions undertaking anti-TIP initiatives.

The results of the survey are intended to provide a national snapshot of trends in local TIP prosecutions and the use of state-level TIP statutes by local prosecutors. It serves as a ten-year update to, and expansion of, previous research on local prosecutorial approaches to trafficking that had used data on cases prosecuted through 2008.

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study examined life histories and experiences of individuals involved in the sex trade in New York City.

Also interviewed were twenty-eight criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and community representatives affiliated with New York City's Human Trafficking Intervention Courts (HTICs).

The collection contains 1 SPSS data file (Final-Quantitative-Data-resubmission.sav (n=304; 218 variables)).

Demographic variables include gender, age, race, ethnicity, education level, citizenship status, current housing, family size, sexual orientation, and respondent's place of birth.

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study includes data that was used to investigate the effect of legislative and judicial factors on system responses to sex trafficking of minors (STM) in metropolitan and non-metropolitan communities. To accomplish this, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the immunity, protection, and rehabilitative elements of a state safe harbor law. This project was undertaken as a response to a growing push to pass state safe harbor laws to align governmental and community responses to the reframing of the issue of sex trafficking of minors that was ushered in with the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).

This collection includes 4 SPSS files, 3 Excel data files, and 2 SPSS Syntax files:

1. Child-Welfare-Human-Trafficking-Reports-2013-2017-data.xlsx
2. Judicial-Interview-De-identified-Quantitative-Data-for-NACJD_REV_Oct2018.sav (n=82; 36 variables)
3. Judicial-online-survey-data-for-NACJD_REV_Dec2018.sav (n=55; 77 variables)
4. Juvenile-Justice-Screening-for-HT-2015-MU-MU-0009.xlsx
5. Post-implementation-survey-data-for-NACJD_REV_Dec2018.sav (n=365; 1029 variables)
6. Pre-implementation-survey-data-for-NACJD_REV_Dec2018.sav (n=323; 159 variables)
7. Recode-syntax-for-pre-implementation-survey-for-NACJD.sps
8. Statewide-juvenile-court-charges-2015-MU-MU-0009-to-NACJD.xlsx
9. Syntax-for-post-implementation-survey-data-to-NACJD.sps

Qualitative data from judicial interviews and agency open-ended responses to Post-Implementation of the Safe Harbor Law Survey are not available as part of this collection.

Although researchers have begun to piece together a picture of the characteristics of vulnerable individuals, participating industries, and exploitative practices that may lead to labor trafficking, few studies have systematically reviewed labor trafficking cases known to victim service providers and law enforcement officials in the United States. As a result, little is known about the phenomenon of labor trafficking and the illicit networks that support it.

For example, it is not known if those networks that facilitate certain types of labor exploitation also facilitate certain types of labor trafficking. This study seeks to address these gaps in knowledge by providing foundational information about labor trafficking victimization and the illicit networks that facilitate it across a range of industries.

This study was guided by three research questions:

1. What is the nature of the labor trafficking victimization experience in the United States?
2. How are domestic and international labor trafficking syndicates operating in the United States organized? Who are the traffickers, and what is their connection to other illicit networks that help facilitate labor trafficking operations?
3. What are the challenges of law enforcement agents investigating labor trafficking cases identified by victim service providers? Why are so few identified labor trafficking cases investigated by law enforcement and prosecuted?

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This multi-method, multi-site study aimed to increase scientific knowledge on the population size, needs, characteristics, and criminal justice experiences of youth who are involved in exchanging sex for money, food, housing, drugs, or other goods. Youth interviews were conducted in each of six geographically diverse research sites, as well as interviews with social service and law enforcement agency staff in four of the sites. In addition, state-level data on prostitution arrests of youth under the age of 18 and case-level data on prostitution arrests of youth under the age of 24 in the six research sites were obtained, but are not included in this collection.

The collection includes one SPSS data file, Youth_in_the_Sex_Trade_Final_Quantitative_Dataset.sav (n=949, vars= 88).

The qualitative data are not available as part of this collection at this time.