Prostitution, Human Trafficking, and Victim Identification: Establishing an Evidence-Based Foundation for a Specialized Criminal Justice Response, New York City, 2015-2016 (ICPSR 36995)

Version Date: Sep 19, 2018

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Principal Investigator(s):
Rachel Swaner, Center for Court Innovation (U.S.)

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36995.v1

Version V1

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Summary

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.

Citation

Swaner, Rachel. Prostitution, Human Trafficking, and Victim Identification: Establishing an Evidence-Based Foundation for a Specialized Criminal Justice Response, New York City, 2015-2016. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2018-09-19. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36995.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2014-R2-CX-0007)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

city

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2015-07-09 -- 2016-12-21

Date of Collection

2015-07-09 -- 2016-12-21

Data Collection Notes

  1. 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.

  2. Data collected for representatives affiliated with New York City's Human Trafficking Intervention Courts (HTICs) are not available as part of the data collection at this time.

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Study Purpose

The study's purpose was to provide an evidence-based foundation for the development of suitable policies and interventions for adults in the sex trade.

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

Finally, the principal investigators sought to produce policy and practice recommendations drawn directly from those with direct, lived experience of the sex trade (interviewed in the first part of the study) or from stakeholders involved in planning or implementing the HTICs (interviewed in the second part).

Study Design

The researchers interviewed 316 adults (18 years of age and older) who traded sex for money, housing, food, drugs, their own or others' safety, or other things they needed. Of these, 304 had traded in the last year.

Interviews ranged from fourty-five minutes to two and a half hours and were semi-structured with closed- and open-ended questions on a wide range of topics. These included: demographics and identity, current and past housing, family history, immigration experience (if applicable), current and past involvement in the sex trade, safety, interactions with the police, court experiences (if applicable), health needs, and policy recommendations. Interviews were digitally recorded upon consent of participants. Those with more than 15 minutes of rich data were transcribed verbatim; rich, explanatory sections of non-transcribed interviews were typed up by the interviewer immediately post-interview.

Sample

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to identify and recruit people into the study. RDS started with "seed" interviews, participants who were recruited through one of the following methods:

  • Street Outreach: Flyers were distributed at or posted on known "tracks" or "strolls" in multiple boroughs of New York City. Researchers also went to these locations to do in-person outreach to those trading.
  • Internet Outreach: Information about the study was emailed to a sex workers listserv, repeatedly posted on numerous websites commonly used to advertise sexual services, and posted on a Tumblr site popular with adults in the sex trade.
  • Outreach at Community Organizations: Members of the research team posted flyers on community boards or in waiting areas of select local community organizations that work with people who may be involved in the sex trade. At other organizations, the study was presented to program participants during group meetings.

Time Method

Cross-sectional

Universe

  1. New York City adults (18 years of age and older) who exchange sex for money or other things they need.
  2. Criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and community representatives affiliated with New York City's Human Trafficking Intervention Courts (HTICs).

Unit(s) of Observation

Individuals

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Description of Variables

Final-Quantitative-Data-resubmission.sav (cases=304; 218 variables): this file includes data derived from individuals involved in the sex trade in New York City. Variables include information concerning individual's identity, family history, immigration experience, current and past involvement in the sex trade, safety, interactions with the police, court experiences, health needs, drug and alcohol use, and policy recommendations.

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

Response Rates

Not applicable

Presence of Common Scales

none

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Original Release Date

2018-09-19

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Weight

Not applicable

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Notes

  • 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.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.