Trends and New Directions in the Law Enforcement Response to the Sex Trafficking of Minors: A Nationally Representative Study

This study proposes to replicate an earlier national study on police investigations of child sex trafficking (CST). The previous study was conducted in 2005 and called the National Juvenile Prostitution Study (N-JPS). The applicants plan to conduct this study using multiple data collection methods. First, they will survey a nationally representative sample of approximately 3,000 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) by mail asking about the number of CST cases with arrests, detentions or alternatives to arrest in 2019. To develop the content of the survey the applicants will conduct key informant interviews (N= 120 to 150) with community agencies in 12 communities with a range of responses to CST. They also plan to engage the help of an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) including advocates, practitioners, survivors, and law enforcement investigators to provide feedback on the design and survey revisions. The applicants will pilot test the mail survey methodology with a sub-sample of LEAs (N=100) to identify and provide solutions to any barriers encountered in identifying CST cases in their data systems. Instruments and study findings will be informed by contextual, qualitative input from key informants who work with CST victims in communities with a range of approaches to CST. Then, the applicants will conduct follow-up interviews with law enforcement on approximately 1,000 identified cases of CST. The goal of these follow-up interviews is to collect detailed case data from key investigators about CSTs reported in the mail survey. The study is designed to identify new developments in police response since the applicants’ first study. Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law, and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR 200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF