In American jurisprudence, policy research supporting the deterrence and prosecution of human trafficking and related offenses is primarily centered around federal and state legal frameworks. In contrast, local municipal ordinances addressing trafficking-adjacent businesses are often overlooked as effective prosecutorial assets. This presentation focuses on creating pathways where local ordinances can serve not only as tools for enforcing administrative infractions but also function as a supplemental resource for prosecutors by identifying patterns of trafficking, generating documentation, and strengthening prosecution under existing penal codes. Using Orange County, California as a case study, this presentation examines how regulatory enforcement through municipal ordinances can be practically implemented into tangible enforcement pathways. This presentation will: (1) highlight where human trafficking-related evidence is embedded within Orange County municipal regulatory systems, (2) analyze how local ordinances create investigative entry points when documenting trafficking cases, and (3) demonstrate how municipal code violations can be escalated to directly support criminal prosecution. Restructuring these systems to not only regulate businesses but also actively assist in tracking, documenting, and flagging indicators of trafficking activity is a necessary next step toward more effective and equitable enforcement and deterrence. The presenters explore how these strategies for enhancing human trafficking enforcement in Orange County and across the country through municipal ordinances can address structural gaps in how certain human trafficking cases are identified, developed, and prosecuted within localized systems. Attendees will gain an understanding of how municipal ordinances can strengthen human-trafficking prosecution pathways using Orange County as a case study for local policy development.
Paul Jung is a third-year student at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) studying Criminology, Law, and Society. His research at the UCI FREE Institute focuses on how municipal ordinances support human trafficking investigations and prosecutions, emphasizing evidence development, enforcement strategy, and bridging municipal ordinances to criminal prosecutions.
Sonja DeVries is a fourth-year student at UCI studying Criminology, Law, and Society. Her research at the UCI FREE Institute focuses on analyzing data in R to identify patterns linked to human trafficking risk. Data acquired translates into actionable insights for policy, community, and prevention efforts.
Kiana Harris is a third-year student at UCI studying Psychological Science and Criminology, Law, and Society. She conducts research with the UCI FREE Institute on human trafficking prevention, focusing on municipal ordinance mapping, policy analysis, and how local efforts can strengthen prevention, enforcement, and community response.
Dr. Angela Robinson is a full-time researcher at the University of California, Irvine. Her research interests include the fight against human trafficking, asset-based interventions, and participatory co-creation of knowledge to maximize the impact of community-based work.