Survey of Local Law Enforcement Agencies
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Contents
- Introduction
- All Human Trafficking Investigations from 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date)
- All Human Trafficking Investigations from 2014, 2015 and 2016 (to date) (cont'd)
- Investigations Involving Native American Victims
- Information about Native American Victims
- Sources of Information Provided on Investigations
- Factors Associated with Native American Human Trafficking
- Services Available to Native American Human Trafficking Victims
- Native American Human Trafficking Reporting
- Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking
- Funding and Assistance
- Submit Your Final Responses to GAO
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.
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)?
To your knowledge, would each of the following services be available to Native American victims of human trafficking in your jurisdiction, if needed?
Emergency shelter
Long term housing/shelter
Medical health
Mental health
Substance abuse services
Transportation
Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings
Legal services
Literacy education
Job training
Employment assistance
Life skills training
Relocation assistance
Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women's circle)
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.
2014
Number
Check if you don't know
2015
Number
Check if you don't know
2016 (to date)
Number
Check if you don't know
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.
2014
Number
Check if you don't know
2015
Number
Check if you don't know
2016 (to date)
Number
Check if you don't know
4. Were any of the victims involved in the human trafficking investigations initiated during calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 (to date) Native American?
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)?
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.
To your knowledge, would each of the following services be available to Native American victims of human trafficking in your jurisdiction, if needed?
Emergency shelter
Long term housing/shelter
Medical health
Mental health
Substance abuse services
Transportation
Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings
Legal services
Literacy education
Job training
Employment assistance
Life skills training
Relocation assistance
Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women's circle)
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.
2014
Number
Check if you don't know
2015
Number
Check if you don't know
2016 (to date)
Number
Check if you don't know
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.
2014
Number
Check if you don't know
2015
Number
Check if you don't know
2016 (to date)
Number
Check if you don't know
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.
2014
Number
Check if you don't know
2015
Number
Check if you don't know
2016 (to date)
Number
Check if you don't know
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.)
[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.
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)?
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.
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?
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?
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?
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?
Victim distrusts law enforcement
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim is traumatized
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim is addicted to drugs
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim is sentimentally attached to the trafficker
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim fears retaliation from the trafficker
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim is underage and does not want to return home
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Victim does not see herself/himself as a victim
Not checked |
Skip |
Very common |
Somewhat common | Not at all common | Don't know |
Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
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?
12. When investigating possible human trafficking involving Native American victims, how frequently have you identified the following types of crimes in the same investigation?
Drug distribution or trafficking
Offenses involving child pornography
Gang activity
Rape/sexual assault
Domestic violence
Kidnapping
Money laundering
13. What other crimes, if any, have you identified when investigating possible human trafficking involving Native American victims?
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?
Emergency shelter
Long term housing/shelter
Medical health
Mental health
Substance abuse services
Transportation
Someone to accompany to appointments or hearings
Legal services
Literacy education
Job training
Employment assistance
Life skills training
Relocation assistance
Traditional Native American healing methods (e.g., sweat lodges, women's circle)
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?
Victims were unaware of services available to them.
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 61 |
Trafficking victims were aware of the services, but were not able to reach service providers because of a lack of transportation.
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 61 |
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)
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 61 |
Victims perceived a lack of community support for victims such as themselves
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 61 |
Victims saw their circumstances as an acceptable/inevitable lifestyle
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 61 |
Services were sometimes not available to victims
Not checked | Skip | Major barrier | Minor barrier | Not a barrier | Don't know | Number of respondents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 55 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 61 |
16. Based on your experience, what other factors, if any, present barriers to accessing services for Native American human trafficking victims in your jurisdiction?
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?
18. Please explain why you do or do not suspect that there are more Native American human trafficking victims in your jurisdiction.
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?
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?
Describe the initiatives that your law enforcement agency has implemented to prevent and detect human trafficking of Native American individuals.
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.)
What types of agencies and organizations participate in the human trafficking task force(s)?
1. Other local law enforcement agency(s)
2. Tribal law enforcement agency(s)
3. County sheriff's office
4. State police
5. State or local prosecutor
6. State Attorney General's office
7. Federal Bureau of Investigation
8. Homeland Security Investigations
9. U.S. Attorney's office
10. Religious organization(s)
11. Local school district(s)
12. Non-governmental organizations
13. Social service provider(s) for human trafficking victims
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?
Federal grant (including federal funding disbursed through a state agency)
State grant (not including federal funding disbursed through a state agency)
Local grant (not including federal funding disbursed through a local agency)
Private donations or fundraising
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".)
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".)
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)?
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?
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.
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.
Name of respondent:
Name of law enforcement agency:
Telephone:
Email:
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