A state-wide analysis of characteristics and predictors of dual system involvement among child victims of human trafficking.

BACKGROUND: The child welfare system is pivotal in identifying and responding to child (younger than age 18) human trafficking victims. Children who have experienced human trafficking-or are at risk of victimization-are increasingly recognized as also being served in the juvenile justice system. Yet little is known about human trafficking victimization among children in the juvenile justice population or among children with child welfare and juvenile justice involvement. OBJECTIVE: Building on previous research with child welfare-and juvenile justice-involved children, we investigated characteristics and system experiences among children who have experienced a human trafficking abuse allegation in Florida. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The overall study population included all children born on or after January 1, 1993, who had at least one DCF-documented maltreatment allegation before March 1, 2020. This study examined a total of 12,167 allegations in the first set of analyses and the first human trafficking allegation for each child (N = 9300) in the second set of analyses. METHODS: Analyses are based on linked administrative data for a cohort of children involved with Florida's Departments of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and/or Children and Families (DCF). We used descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses to document the characteristics of single and dual system-involved children and examine predictors of child welfare, juvenile justice, and dual system involvement. RESULTS: (1) Nearly half of children with a human trafficking abuse allegation are involved in DCF at the time of the allegation, (2) females who experienced trafficking are more likely to be involved in DCF (with or without DJJ involvement) than involved in no system, (3) Black children with an alleged trafficking incident were more likely than White children to be involved in both systems compared with DCF only, and (4) children who experienced labor trafficking abuse allegations were less likely than those who experienced sex trafficking to be involved with either system. CONCLUSIONS: This study depicts child victims of sex and labor trafficking who are involved with one or both systems in one state.

Beyond Forensic Evidence: Examining Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Mechanisms that Influence Sexual Assault Case Outcomes.

Despite the widespread use of sexual assault medical forensic exams (SAMFEs), practitioners and researchers continue to debate the role of SAMFEs and the evidence they provide in the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases. Using data from a review of sexual assault cases reported to police between 2015 and 2017 in two jurisdictions (n = 534), we use logistic regression examine whether the presence of a SAMFE predicts the likelihood of achieving criminal case processing outcomes and whether the relationship of the SAMFE with criminal case processing outcomes is moderated by other legal and extralegal case characteristics. We did not find evidence that the presence of a SAMFE in a case significantly predicts whether a suspect will be identified, arrested, or convicted overall, but we did find evidence of the SAMFE's injury documentation value for arrest. Researchers and practitioners should account for the multiple ways SAMFEs can influence decision-making in future research and policymaking.

Community Approaches to Sexual Assault: VAWA's Role and Survivors' Experiences.

This article reviews two types of community-based approaches to addressing sexual assault that survivors may encounter-sexual assault nurse examiners and victim advocates from nonprofit community agencies-and highlights ways that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and its reauthorizations have influenced this work. We also review information on the intersections of the work of these providers with police and prosecutors and include how these relate to survivors' experiences. We conclude with thoughts that look forward to future research on these issues emphasizing authentic engagement of practitioners and survivors in the research process.