The Female Human Trafficker in the Criminal Justice System: A test of the Chivalry Hypothesis

• In Event: The Punishment of Domestic Violence and Sex Offenses

Abstract

The involvement of women in human trafficking within the United States has received limited research attention. Human trafficking encompasses labor, sex, and organ trafficking (Roberts, 2012) . In 2009 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that women play a significant role in human trafficking. Nagel and Johnson (1994) conclude that, historically, female offenders have stayed at the edge of the criminal justice system . Generally, theories about prosecution and conviction outcomes derive from the study of male offenders.
Women can be involved in all aspects of the human trafficking organizations, from the recruitment, to the supervision of prostitutes and to the finances. Pulling from the chivalry theory framework, this study used data sourced from the FBI on human trafficking offenders and their sentencing outcomes to compare the discrepancies between men and women. The current research adds to the existing literature by examining the gender discrepancy on human trafficking case outcomes. The analysis measures how gender influences court-related decisions .

Authors

• Jolene Vincent, University of Central Florida

• Brielle Francis, University of Central Florida

• Lin Huff-Corzine, University of Central Florida

• Jay Corzine, University of Central Florida