Survey of Local Law Enforcement Agencies

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Introduction

	The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a nonpartisan federal agency that conducts research for Congress. Congress has asked the GAO to study Native American human trafficking. For the purposes of this survey “Native American human trafficking” is human trafficking of Native American victims. This survey will enable us to report to Congress on the extent to which local law enforcement agencies have encountered human trafficking involving Native American victims, perspectives from those agencies on the availability of services for victims, and federal assistance received to combat human trafficking and assist victims. To learn more about completing the survey and printing your responses click here for help. GAO Contacts If you have any questions about this GAO survey, please email: GAOTraffickingSurvey@gao.gov or call: Marie Suding at 202-512-7109 or Christoph Hoashi-Erhardt at 206-287-4891 Thank you in advance for your time and participation.

	(View responses)

All Human Trafficking Investigations from 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date)

1.	During calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date) did your law enforcement agency initiate any human trafficking investigations (i.e., sex or labor trafficking)?

			Yes
			No
			Don’t know
		↻ Reset
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	To your knowledge, would each of the following services be available to Native American victims of human trafficking in your jurisdiction, if needed?

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		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Emergency shelter (View responses)				↻
	Long term housing/shelter (View responses)				↻
	Medical health (View responses)				↻
	Mental health (View responses)				↻
	Substance abuse services (View responses)				↻
	Transportation (View responses)				↻
	Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings (View responses)				↻

		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Legal services (View responses)				↻
	Literacy education (View responses)				↻
	Job training (View responses)				↻
	Employment assistance (View responses)				↻
	Life skills training (View responses)				↻
	Relocation assistance (View responses)				↻
	Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women’s circle) (View responses)				↻

	Please click on the link below to skip to Question 17. Based on your previous responses, questions 2-16 would not apply to your law enforcement agency.

	Click here to skip to question 17
	(View responses)

All Human Trafficking Investigations from 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date) (cont'd)

2.	How many human trafficking investigations, if any, did your law enforcement agency initiate during calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date)? Enter numeric digits; enter “0” if no investigations were initiated.

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Year

Number of investigations initiated

Check if you don’t know

	2014
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	2015
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	2016 (to date)
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3.	How many victims were associated with the human trafficking investigations initiated during calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date)? Enter numeric digits; enter “0” if no investigations were initiated.

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Year

Number of victims

Check if you don’t know

	2014
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	2015
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	2016 (to date)
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4.	Were any of the victims involved in the human trafficking investigations initiated during calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date) Native American?

			Yes
			No
			Don’t know
		↻ Reset
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	What was the information source(s) for the number of human trafficking investigations and victims reported in the preceding sections (e.g., case management system, paper records)?

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	If the information source is a data system, please describe any procedures your law enforcement agency has in place to ensure the accuracy of the data reported.

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	To your knowledge, would each of the following services be available to Native American victims of human trafficking in your jurisdiction, if needed?

	(View responses)

		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Emergency shelter (View responses)				↻
	Long term housing/shelter (View responses)				↻
	Medical health (View responses)				↻
	Mental health (View responses)				↻
	Substance abuse services (View responses)				↻
	Transportation (View responses)				↻
	Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings (View responses)				↻

		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Legal services (View responses)				↻
	Literacy education (View responses)				↻
	Job training (View responses)				↻
	Employment assistance (View responses)				↻
	Life skills training (View responses)				↻
	Relocation assistance (View responses)				↻
	Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women’s circle) (View responses)				↻

	Please click on the link below to skip to Question 17. Based on your previous responses, questions 5-16 would not apply to your law enforcement agency.

	Click here to skip to question 17
	(View responses)

Investigations Involving Native American Victims

5.	How many human trafficking investigations involving Native American victims did your law enforcement agency initiate in 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date)? Enter numeric digits; enter “0” if no investigations were initiated.

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Year

Number of investigations initiated

Check if you don’t know

	2014
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	2015
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	2016 (to date)
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6.	How many individuals did your law enforcement agency arrest in association with the human trafficking investigations involving Native American victims initiated in 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date)? Enter numeric digits; enter “0” if no investigations were initiated.

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Year

Number of individuals arrested

Check if you don’t know

	2014
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	2015
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	2016 (to date)
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7.	How many Native American victims were associated with the human trafficking investigations that your law enforcement agency initiated in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date)? Enter numeric digits; enter “0” if no investigations were initiated.

	(View responses)

Year

Number of Native American victims

Check if you don’t know

	2014
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	2015
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	2016 (to date)
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Information about Native American Victims

	Please click on the "Add" button below to enter information about each Native American victim associated with the investigations initiated in 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date). (You may edit a case after you have added it by clicking on its link. Bold type indicates that you have completed this case.)
	(Click Add to add another case.)
	[Sub-questionnaire was intentionally not reported.]

	If additional Native American victims were associated with the human trafficking investigations initiated in 2014, 2015, or 2016, use the "Add" button above to add. If no additional victims, continue to the next question.

	(View responses)

Sources of Information Provided on Investigations

8.	What was the information source(s) for the number of human trafficking investigations, arrests, and victims reported in the preceding sections (e.g., case management system, paper records)?

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	If the information source is a data system, please describe any procedures your law enforcement agency has in place to ensure the accuracy of the data reported.

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Factors Associated with Native American Human Trafficking

9.	In your opinion, what factors, if any, have contributed to human trafficking involving Native American victims in your jurisdiction?

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10.	In your opinion, what factors, if any, have made it difficult for your law enforcement agency to investigate human trafficking involving Native American victims in your jurisdiction?

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11.	During calendar years 2014, 2015, or 2016 (to date), were any of the Native American human trafficking victims you encountered reluctant to participate in the investigation or prosecution of their case?

			Yes
			No
			Don't know
		↻ Reset
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	In your opinion, how common is each of the following reasons why some Native American victims of human trafficking may not want to participate in the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking cases?

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		Very common	Somewhat common	Not at all common	Don’t know	Reset
	Victim distrusts law enforcement (View responses)					↻
	Victim is traumatized (View responses)					↻
	Victim is addicted to drugs (View responses)					↻
	Victim is sentimentally attached to the trafficker (View responses)					↻
	Victim fears retaliation from the trafficker (View responses)					↻
	Victim is underage and does not want to return home (View responses)					↻
	Victim does not see herself/himself as a victim (View responses)					↻

	In your opinion, what other possible reasons may explain why some Native American victims may not want to participate in the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking cases?

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12.	When investigating possible human trafficking involving Native American victims, how frequently have you identified the following types of crimes in the same investigation?

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		Frequently	Sometimes	Rarely	Don’t Know	Reset
	Drug distribution or trafficking (View responses)					↻
	Offenses involving child pornography (View responses)					↻
	Gang activity (View responses)					↻
	Rape/sexual assault (View responses)					↻
	Domestic violence (View responses)					↻
	Kidnapping (View responses)					↻
	Money laundering (View responses)					↻

13.	What other crimes, if any, have you identified when investigating possible human trafficking involving Native American victims?

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Services Available to Native American Human Trafficking Victims

14.	To your knowledge, would each of the following services be available to Native American victims of human trafficking in your jurisdiction, if needed?

	(View responses)

		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Emergency shelter (View responses)				↻
	Long term housing/shelter (View responses)				↻
	Medical health (View responses)				↻
	Mental health (View responses)				↻
	Substance abuse services (View responses)				↻
	Transportation (View responses)				↻
	Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings (View responses)				↻

		Yes	No	Don't know	Reset
	Legal services (View responses)				↻
	Literacy education (View responses)				↻
	Job training (View responses)				↻
	Employment assistance (View responses)				↻
	Life skills training (View responses)				↻
	Relocation assistance (View responses)				↻
	Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women’s circle) (View responses)				↻

15.	Based on your experience, to what extent is each of the following factors a barrier, if at all, to accessing services for Native American human trafficking victims in your jurisdiction?

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		Major barrier	Minor barrier	Not a barrier	Don’t know	Reset
	Victims were unaware of services available to them. (View responses)					↻
	Trafficking victims were aware of the services, but were not able to reach service providers because of a lack of transportation. (View responses)					↻
	Victims felt ashamed to seek services (i.e., the victim did not want others to know that he/she had been a victim of human trafficking) (View responses)					↻
	Victims perceived a lack of community support for victims such as themselves (View responses)					↻
	Victims saw their circumstances as an acceptable/inevitable lifestyle (View responses)					↻
	Services were sometimes not available to victims (View responses)					↻

16.	Based on your experience, what other factors, if any, present barriers to accessing services for Native American human trafficking victims in your jurisdiction?

	(View responses)

Native American Human Trafficking Reporting

17.	Do you suspect that more human trafficking involving Native American victims is occurring in your jurisdiction beyond what’s been brought to your attention?

			Yes
			No
			Don't know
		↻ Reset
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18.	Please explain why you do or do not suspect that there are more Native American human trafficking victims in your jurisdiction.

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Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

19.	During calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date), did your law enforcement agency have any initiatives to prevent and detect human trafficking, in general?

			Yes
			No
			Don't know
		↻ Reset
	(View responses)

During calendar years 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date), did your law enforcement agency have any initiatives to prevent and detect human trafficking of Native American individuals, specifically?

		Yes
		No
		Don't know
	↻ Reset
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	Describe the initiatives that your law enforcement agency has implemented to prevent and detect human trafficking of Native American individuals.

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20.	Does your law enforcement agency currently participate on a human trafficking task force(s)? (By task force, we mean a group of individuals who coordinate with one another with respect to conducting human trafficking investigations or providing assistance to victims.)

			Yes
			No
			Don't know
		↻ Reset
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Funding and Assistance

21.	During calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date), did your law enforcement agency receive any funding from the following sources to help support your efforts to combat human trafficking involving Native American victims?

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		Yes	No	Don’t know	Reset
	Federal grant (including federal funding disbursed through a state agency) (View responses)				↻
	State grant (not including federal funding disbursed through a state agency) (View responses)				↻
	Local grant (not including federal funding disbursed through a local agency) (View responses)				↻
	Private donations or fundraising (View responses)				↻

	Identify the name(s) of the federal agency(s), funding stream or grant program and the amount(s) of funding received. (If you do not know the name, indicate “Don’t know.”)

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	How did your law enforcement agency use the federal funding received during calendar years 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date) to help support efforts to combat human trafficking of Native American individuals? (If you don’t know how the funding was used, indicate “Don’t know.”)

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22.	What non-financial assistance, if any, did your law enforcement agency receive from the federal government to combat human trafficking of Native American individuals during calendar years 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date)?

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23.	What, if any, additional assistance (financial or non-financial) from the federal government would your law enforcement agency like to receive to help combat human trafficking of Native American individuals?

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24.	Please provide any additional comments you have regarding the extent to which human trafficking of Native American individuals is occurring in your jurisdiction and efforts to address it and assist Native American victims.

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25.	Please provide the following information for the person primarily responsible for completing this survey in case we need to contact you to clarify a response. Enter letters or numbers in each box below.

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	Name of respondent: (View responses)
	Name of law enforcement agency: (View responses)
	Telephone: (View responses)
	Email: (View responses)