Profile of Sentenced Federal Human Trafficking Defendants by Era

• In Event: Systemic Responses to Hidden Exploitation

Abstract

This research examines the characteristics of defendants convicted and sentenced for federal human trafficking offenses from 2001 through 2016, the first fifteen years following the enactment of the TVPA (Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act), by analyzing federal sentencing data. In particular, the research analysis traces the time periods delineated by human trafficking legislation and important United States Supreme Court decisions on sentencing for the purpose of assessing potential predictors of human trafficking sentences at different times. The research involves descriptive analysis about human trafficking cases, including the length of imprisonment imposed and defendant demographics, in these delineated eras. To better understand variation in sentencing outcomes for human trafficking defendants during these different times, the research also explores the influence of contextual variables, including increased media attention of human trafficking, across federal districts.

Author

• Monica DeLateur, Massachusetts Appeals Court