On 29 Oct 2024, the BJS released its annual report – Human Trafficking Data Collection Activities, 2024 (NCJ Number: 309422). The report was written by BJS Statistician Amy D. Lauger with contributions from Danielle Kaeble and Mark Motivans, PhD, and support from Derek Mueller, PhD, Ryan Kling, and Kathryn A. Sweeney, PhD. The HTDCA is required by the Combat Human Trafficking Act (CHTA) of 2015 (34 U.S.C. § 20709(e)). The CHTA requires BJS to prepare an annual report on human trafficking (HT), including information on arrests, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences imposed. The HTDCA summarizes BJS activities to assess the availability of data on HT among criminal justice agencies at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels. In addition, it describes characteristics of HT defendants in 2022 and provides data on HT investigations and prosecutions by U.S. attorneys, HT defendants convicted and sentenced to federal prison, and admissions to state prison for HT.
Highlights
A total of 1,912 persons were referred to U.S. attorneys for human trafficking offenses in fiscal year 2022, a 26% increase from the 1,519 persons referred in 2012.
The number of persons prosecuted for human trafficking more than doubled from 2012 to 2022 (from 805 to 1,656 persons). The number of persons convicted of a human trafficking offense increased from 578 persons in 2012 to 1,118 persons in 2022.
Of the 1,070 defendants charged with any of the three types of human trafficking offenses in U.S. district court in fiscal year 2022, 91% were male, 58% were white, 20% were black, 18% were Hispanic, 95% were U.S. citizens, and 71% had no prior convictions.
Of the 203 defendants charged with peonage, slavery, forced labor, and sex trafficking, 69% were male and 53% were black. In comparison, of the 523 defendants charged with sexual exploitation and other abuse of children, 94% were male and 71% were white.
Datasets
The above results are supported with four datasets:
Table 1. Characteristics of HT defendants in cases charged in U.S. district court, fiscal year 2022.
Table 2. Number of states that reported to the National Corrections Reporting Program and admissions to state prison for HT, 2018–2022.
Figure 1. HT suspects referred to and prosecuted by U.S. attorneys and HT defendants convicted, fiscal years 2012–2022
Appendix Table 1. HT suspects referred to and prosecuted by U.S. attorneys and HT defendants convicted, fiscal years 2012-2022
Key Human Trafficking Federal Statutes
Key human trafficking offenses are defined according to three categories of federal statutes:
- Peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1581-1597
- Sexual exploitation and other abuse of children, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251-2257A
- Transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2421-2429
For more information, see Congressional Research Service, Human Trafficking: Key Federal Criminal Statutes, 7 Oct 2021.
