Validating the Human Trafficking Screening Tool for Justice-Involved Youth

• In Event: Innovations in Human Trafficking Research—Part 1: Public Opinion and Legal Responses

Abstract

Determining the most effective ways to identify victims of human trafficking (HT) has been a growing policy priority for youth-serving agencies. Given the risk of HT victimization among justice system-involved youth, the goal of this study was to test the validity of the Human Trafficking Screening Tool (HTST) for youth who had been assessed for the possibility of human trafficking victimization in a state-wide juvenile justice system. Approximately three years of administrative screening data for 2,010 assessments were analyzed. Data included demographic variables, HT outcomes (confirmed victim or indicated at-risk), and assesment measures including the HTST. The HTST includes 59 questions across six domains: background information, demographic information, youth personal background, living conditions, work information, and leaving or running away from home. Results demonstrated that victims of HT were significantly more likely to be flagged for each of the major domains on the HTST, except for gang involvement, compared to non-victims. Further, evidence of tattooing or branding and gang involvement were not predictive of HT victimization. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that the HTST performs well at differentiating HT victimization outcomes among system-involved youth. Implications and future directions for HT screening will be discussed.

Authors

• Valerie Anderson, University of Missouri-St. Louis

• Nicole McKenna, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

• Kelly Pierce, University of Cincinnati