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Federal Prosecution of Human-Trafficking Cases, 2015

NCJ Number
251390
Author(s)
Mark Motivans; Howard N. Snyder
Date Published
June 2018
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This report presents national data on human-trafficking cases in the federal criminal justice system for fiscal year 2015.
Abstract

Presents national data on human-trafficking cases in the federal criminal justice system. Human-trafficking offenses include peonage, slavery, forced labor, or sex trafficking; production of child pornography; and transportation for illegal sex activity. The report details persons investigated by federal law enforcement and referred to U.S. attorneys for human-trafficking offenses, and cases prosecuted, adjudicated, and sentenced in U.S. district court, including the disposition of human-trafficking matters concluded, reasons matters were declined for prosecution, demographic characteristics of suspects charged with human-trafficking offenses, and key case outcomes, such as conviction rates and prison sentence lengths. Findings are based on data from BJS's Federal Justice Statistics Program, with source data provided by the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

  • In fiscal year 2015, 1,923 suspects were referred to U.S. attorneys with human trafficking as the lead charge—39% for peonage, slavery, forced labor, or sex trafficking; 32% for production of child pornography; and 29% for transportation for illegal sex activity.
  • In 2015, the FBI (52%) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (19%) referred the most human-trafficking suspects to U.S. attorneys.
  • Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) human-trafficking suspects referred to U.S. attorneys in 2015 were prosecuted in U.S. district courts.
  • In 2015, more than 9 in 10 (93%) human-trafficking defendants were convicted.
  • Nearly all (99%) of the 769 convicted human-trafficking defendants in 2015 received a prison sentence.