Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Verified Human Trafficking in Florida Delinquent Youth

• In Event: Characteristics of Human Trafficking Victimization

Abstract

Juvenile justice systems nationwide have struggled with identifying potential minor victims of Human Trafficking (HT) and providing appropriate resources to help treat identified victims. The body of research is growing as it relates to identifying screening factors that may contribute to the likelihood that a youth is potentially a victim of HT, but there is a dearth of literature examining youth who have been verified as HT victims. This study uses a subset of secondary data available through the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The study explores between-group differences between juveniles identified through screening tools as potential HT victims and verified HT victims and then uses age at first offense, Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) score, other delinquency history, and various family variables to predict the likelihood that a youth will be verified as a victim of human trafficking. The session includes discussion of policy implications for the screening and treatment of minor HT victims.

Authors

• Katherine Gomez, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

• Nathan Epps, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

• Bethany Gilot, Florida Department of Children and Families

• Elena Simonsen, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

• Michael Maguire, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice