TY - JOUR
T1 - Human Trafficking in Correctional Institutions
T2 - A Survey of Correctional and Anti-Trafficking Leaders
AU - Rizo, Cynthia Fraga
AU - Wretman, Christopher J.
AU - Luo, Jia
AU - Van Deinse, Tonya B.
AU - Sullivan, Nicole
AU - Godoy, Sarah M.
AU - Meehan, Erin A.
AU - Macy, Rebecca J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Growing awareness of the overlap between justice involvement and human trafficking victimization has led to calls for correctional institutions to prevent, identify, and respond to trafficking. However, it is unclear how correctional facilities (i.e., jails and prisons) are responding to such calls to action. To examine current efforts to address human trafficking in U.S. correctional facilities, this study surveyed correctional and anti-trafficking leaders (n = 46) about their perceptions and experiences with human trafficking screening, response, and training in correctional facilities. Although the majority of leaders (89%) agreed individuals in their state’s correctional facilities have experienced human trafficking, they generally did not perceive that correctional staff were prepared to respond. Bivariate tests revealed that correctional and anti-trafficking leaders differed on their perceptions regarding correctional staffs’ knowledge about human trafficking risk factors (p =.014), identification ability (p =.006), and response knowledge (p =.036), with anti-trafficking leaders perceiving correctional staff to be less prepared in these areas. Approximately 16% of leaders reported strategies to identify and respond to trafficking in correctional facilities, and about 27% reported human trafficking training for corrections staff. To promote a just society, study findings offer preliminary guidance for anti-trafficking correctional initiatives and future research.
AB - Growing awareness of the overlap between justice involvement and human trafficking victimization has led to calls for correctional institutions to prevent, identify, and respond to trafficking. However, it is unclear how correctional facilities (i.e., jails and prisons) are responding to such calls to action. To examine current efforts to address human trafficking in U.S. correctional facilities, this study surveyed correctional and anti-trafficking leaders (n = 46) about their perceptions and experiences with human trafficking screening, response, and training in correctional facilities. Although the majority of leaders (89%) agreed individuals in their state’s correctional facilities have experienced human trafficking, they generally did not perceive that correctional staff were prepared to respond. Bivariate tests revealed that correctional and anti-trafficking leaders differed on their perceptions regarding correctional staffs’ knowledge about human trafficking risk factors (p =.014), identification ability (p =.006), and response knowledge (p =.036), with anti-trafficking leaders perceiving correctional staff to be less prepared in these areas. Approximately 16% of leaders reported strategies to identify and respond to trafficking in correctional facilities, and about 27% reported human trafficking training for corrections staff. To promote a just society, study findings offer preliminary guidance for anti-trafficking correctional initiatives and future research.
KW - anti-trafficking leaders
KW - correctional leaders
KW - Human trafficking
KW - jail
KW - prison
KW - survey
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U2 - 10.1080/23322705.2021.2011660
DO - 10.1080/23322705.2021.2011660
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85122656106
SN - 2332-2705
VL - 10
SP - 135
EP - 152
JO - Journal of Human Trafficking
JF - Journal of Human Trafficking
IS - 1
ER -