Police perceptions of human trafficking

Author: Farrel, Amy; Pfeffer, Rebecca & Bright, Katherine

Abstract: Although the US federal government and all 50 states have passed legislation that defines human trafficking as a crime and specifies stiff penalties for such offenses, little is known about how police perceptions of human trafficking influence investigation and response strategies. Previous research confirms that human trafficking definitions are ambiguous and police commonly lack the training and experience necessary to identify the crime. Using schema theory as a guide to our inquiry, we explore how existing crime schema influence police perceptions of and responses to human trafficking. In addition, we examine how new human trafficking laws change police perception of previously existing crimes, particularly prostitution. Data from in-depth interviews from a targeted sample of 90 law enforcement officials in 12 US counties inform how the police frame the problem of human trafficking and how those frames guide their actions.

Keywords: human trafficking, policing, prostitution, schema theory