This study examines whether law enforcement agency practices and policies for the investigation of child sex trafficking incorporate victim-centered approaches.
Findings from this study of law enforcement’s recognition of child sex trafficking (CST) underscore the importance of victim-centered approaches that feature connections and collaborations across communities. These collaborations champion the wellness of youth who have experienced this unique and egregious form of sexual victimization while simultaneously allowing for criminal investigations to proceed, ideally with minimal re-traumatization of the victim. This study examined law enforcement’s recognition of CST at the agency-level, their arrest practices, and the services that are being offered to CST victims. Among 1,306 agencies across the United States, almost all (97.5%) said they used or had access to at least one victim-centered approach to CST investigations, with larger agencies reporting a greater number of approaches. Two policies were significantly related to a greater likelihood of investigating at least one CST case in 2021: access to a CST-specific task force and access to a CST-specific victim service agency. Over the past decade, efforts have been made to reform the way law enforcement responds to child sex trafficking (CST). Law enforcement agencies are being urged or required to use victim-centered approaches that provide exploited youth with support and services. Researchers have yet to examine law enforcement’s recognition of CST at the agency-level, their arrest practices, or the services that are being offered to CST victims. The National Law Enforcement Agency Child Sex Trafficking (LEA-CST) Study aimed to address these gaps through a national survey of law enforcement agencies around the U.S. The current study reports on mail survey data collected from a sample of 1,306 agencies that provided feedback on the use of up to nine victim-centered approaches to CST at their agency. Data were analyzed along with information about whether their agency investigated at least one case of CST in the year 2021. (Published Abstract Provided)