LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES. Wichita State University Center to Combat Human Trafficking Lessons from the Trenches

Transcription

1 LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES Wichita State University Center to Combat Human Trafficking Lessons from the Trenches

2 FIRST ANNUAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE Anne Ellis, LBSW Department of Children and Families Officer Kent Bauman Wichita Police Department Officer Mike Nagy Wichita Police Department

3 OBJECTIVES Roles that professionals (law enforcement and DCF) play in investigating a human trafficking case Role of first responders in the continuum of care for human trafficking victims Importance of multidisciplinary partnerships Best practices Challenges in human trafficking responses

4 SEDGWICK COUNTY EXPLOITED AND MISSING CHILD UNIT The Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) conducts investigations of alleged child abuse in Sedgwick County Wichita Police Department investigators Sedgwick County Sheriff s Office investigators Kansas Department for Children and Families social workers Child Protective Services work as a team to investigate: Child abuse, missing and abducted children, internet exploitation, commercial exploitation of children and other crimes against children.

5 KANSAS STATUES ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING 2014 Aggravated Human Trafficking recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining, by any means, a person under 18 years of age with or without force, fraud or threat or coercion to engage in forced labor, involuntary servitude or sexual gratification K.S.A (b) (2011) Commercial sexual exploitation of a child is giving, receiving, offering or agreeing to receive anything of value, to act in, procuring, recruiting, inducing, soliciting, hiring or otherwise obtaining any person younger than 18 years of age, for sexual gratification. K.S.A (*New Law) (2014)

6 LAW ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOL STATE STATUE January 2014 new laws: Juveniles treated as victims, rather than juvenile offenders Law enforcement who reasonably believes that a juvenile is a victim of commercial sexual exploitation or aggravated human trafficking must take the child into police protective custody. Human trafficking is a form of sexual abuse. Child victims of human trafficking are Children in Need of Care.

7 BEST PRACTICES LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES Law Enforcement Response to Human Trafficking and the Implications for Victims: Current Practices and Lessons Learned (October 2006) Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States: A Review of the Literature (August 2009) Study of HHS Programs Serving Human Trafficking Victims Final Report (December 2009)

8 BEST PRACTICES LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES Best Practices: Identification/Rescue of Victims Addressing Immediate Needs Care/Case management Addressing Comprehensive Services Criminal investigation (not addressed) Best practices encourage a multidisciplinary approach to each of these identified areas

9 IDENTIFICATION OF VICTIMS BEST PRACTICE Identification Recognizes that there are challenges to the identification of victims Hidden nature of the crime Lack of self identification by the victim Best Practices Successful identification of victims Education Training on the crime of human trafficking Victim response Needs of victims Available resources Standard protocols to screen for victims of human trafficking Few published assessment protocols with questions to determine potential victims of domestic trafficking.

10 CASE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE Intensive Care/Case Management Complex victim needs Central case manager Best Practices Intensive case management approach Case manager responsibilities: Assessing service needs Providing victims with information and rights Comprehensive service plan Referrals for service, coordinating services Accompanying victims to appointments Advocating Emotional/moral

11 IMMEDIATE NEEDS BEST PRACTICE Immediate Service Needs Clothing Mental health services Social service coordination Food Legal services Advocacy services Counseling/support groups Medical services Housing/shelter Immediate Service Needs 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Law Enforcement Response to Human Trafficking and the Implications for Victims: Current Practices and Lessons Learned October 2006

12 COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES BEST PRACTICE Comprehensive Services Complex Victim Needs: Housing, medical assistance, social services, trauma therapy, substance abuse treatment Housing/Shelter Services: Few shelters exclusively for trafficking victims Medical Services: Basic physical exams, gynecological exams, tests for infectious diseases Prostituted minors at high risk for infectious diseases (Willis and Levy, 2002)

13 CONTINUUM OF CARE HUMAN TRAFFICKING INTO AND WITHIN THE UNITED STATES: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Social Services Meet the needs of victims Offer victims opportunities: educational, personal, economic Society reintegration: education, developing life and social skills, gaining job skills and obtaining employment Trauma Services Continuum of care should involve trauma and mental health services. Substance Abuse Treatment Human trafficking and substance abuse closely linked.

14 LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES OUR PHILOSOPHY (BEST PRACTICE) WORKING HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATIONS Victim-centered The victim is the first priority and the case is secondary. The recovery of the victim and providing the victim services is the first priority even if a criminal case cannot be made on the trafficker. Multidisciplinary Team Concept Law enforcement Sedgwick County Sheriff Department Wichita Police Department Department for Children and Families Other team members

15 MULTIDISCIPLINARY PARTNERS Human Trafficking Partners Department of Children and Families (DCF) Juvenile Court and Detention Other Law Enforcement Agencies Sexual Assault Center St Francis Service Providers District Attorney Medical (SANSART) Community Organizations Via Christi St Francis Health Care Haven Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center (SGCAC)

16 LAW ENFORCEMENT/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SERVICES Identification/Rescue Investigation/Immediate Needs Prosecution/Case Management

17 IDENTIFICATION EMCU Identification is the first step to provide services to human trafficking victims DCF intakes Trained DCF personnel help identify human trafficking victims during intake Law enforcement reports High Risk Victim classification Intake assessments Wichita Children s Home (WCH) Juvenile Intake Center (JIAC) Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF) Developed protocols and an assessment questions to determine potential victims of domestic trafficking

18 RESCUE EMCU A forensic interview of the victim DCF worker and investigator Assessing the safety and immediate needs DCF and law enforcement Recommendations for placement (Rapid Response Team) Department for Children and Families (DCF) notification to conduct an assessment High Risk Trafficking Victim Questionnaire Wichita/Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Child Unit Social History Human Trafficking

19 IMMEDIATE NEEDS EMCU Immediate Needs Safe placement Staff Secure (Wichita Children s Home) Health care service Health Care Haven (Via Christi St Francis) Stabilization of victim (short term) Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center (in progress) Referral to DCF Trauma therapy (short-term, 72 hours) Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center (in progress)

20 INVESTIGATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH DCF Investigation Recommendations for placement, services, counseling, medical needs, mental health evaluation, stabilization of victim, drug assessment, case management, etc. Criminal Investigation Whether there is enough evidence for criminal charges, stabilizing the victim, preparation for court of case and victim, assessing the safety needs, case management, etc.

21 INVESTIGATION (LONG TERM) DCF Investigation Case Management Deprogramming Mental health (treatment for major trauma, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder) Treatment for substance abuse Educational needs Employment assistance Life-skills training Keeping the victim stable Provide structure and support (parental role) Criminal Investigation Case Management Deprogramming Safety concerns Keeping the victim stable Preparing the victim for testimony Preparing the case for trial Assisting DCF

22 CHALLENGES Identifying victims Lack of victim cooperation Past negative experiences with authority figures Lack of resources Long-term placement Long-term counseling Case Management Limited resources No exclusive programs/services for human trafficking Length of service eligibility

23 CHALLENGES Victim challenges Addiction to lifestyle Likelihood of relapse Thin line between victim/perpetrator Prevention Education Public Schools

24 QUESTIONS?