Human trafficking is often interconnected with crimes such as domestic violence, gang violence, theft, drug crimes, and violent crimes. Victims and offenders of human trafficking may be involved in various investigations, which frequently goes unnoticed because law enforcement agencies tend to work exclusively within their own silos. It is important for agencies to recognize the overlap in investigative units and prioritize collaborative efforts and sharing information inside their own agencies, as well as with outside agencies. This study analyzed the innerworkings of a human trafficking investigation from Multnomah County in Portland, Oregon. The investigation encompassed multiple cases in which nine defendants were indicted on various charges and all nine pled guilty. These cases demonstrate the fact that human trafficking intersects with all types of crimes and can be immersed within families. The investigation spanned from May 2015 to November 2019 and included several agencies within Oregon and across the country. This analysis narrowed in on three separate human trafficking cases that involved six victims, one of them a minor. Data was compiled through MCSO Human Trafficking Person Profile Reports and interviews were conducted with stakeholders from various agencies. The data was examined to identify effective investigative techniques and methods of communication used to successfully indict and prosecute traffickers. Five themes were yielded from the analysis: 1) investigative techniques, 2) communication/collaboration, 3) victim centered/trauma informed care approach, 4) investigative techniques – gold standard, and 5) phenomena unique to human trafficking. Regarding these observations, recommendations to improve future human trafficking investigations are offered.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Kaitlin Meadows is a Research Project Coordinator at Arizona State University’s Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research in the School of Social Work. She has a Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and her research focus is on the prevention and detection of sex trafficking through a trauma-informed lens.
Molly McDade is the Jail Human Trafficking Sergeant at the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. She documents trends and tattoos and discusses relationships with suspected traffickers and victims of sex trafficking. She assists in gathering evidence and partners with academia in research, which helps indict and prosecute individuals who commercially sexually exploit victims.