Successes and Challenges in Implementing a Human Trafficking Screening Tool in a Local Detention Center

Abstract

Research solidly documents the victim-offender overlap in various crimes, including human trafficking. Given the hidden nature of this exploitative crime, increasing the identification of victims is crucial. One way to do this is through the creation and implementation of screening tools. To date, most screening tools for human trafficking victims are created by and implemented in the field of health care or with youth or young adults, particularly those who have experienced housing instability. However, the use of these tools to identify victims of human trafficking in correctional settings—where victims are often misidentified as offenders—is limited. To address this deficiency, a victim-centered, trauma-informed screening tool was implemented in a local detention center to identify human trafficking victims, with the purpose of offering them resources to facilitate their exit from trafficking situations. This article outlines the creation and implementation of the tool and discusses its successes, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for replication.