Characteristics of Human Trafficked Youth Referred to the Juvenile Justice System

• In Event: Gender, Victimization, and Justice: Exploring Impacts and Intervention Strategies

Abstract

Although trafficked youth represent a small portion of individuals who come into contact with the juvenile justice system, they have unique needs that pose challenges for treatment and rehabilitation. These needs often stem from heightened exposure to adverse childhood experiences, polyvictimization, and maladaptive responses to trauma. Numerous studies have documented the high prevalence of health risk behaviors, unmet mental health needs, and ACEs among system-involved youth who have been trafficked. Less is known, however, about the specific factors that amplify or protect against youth’s risks for continued and deepened entanglements with the juvenile justice system. The current study focuses on descriptive analyses to determine 1) the number of juvenile justice referrals among trafficked youth and 2) the characteristics of trafficked youth who have repeated referrals to the juvenile justice system.

Author

• Ashton Cobb, Florida State University