Sex trafficking is a complex and under-prosecuted federal crime (Cook, 2019). Misunderstandings about how this exploitation happens can “frustrate the criminal justice response to trafficking” (Murphy, 2022, p. 4). Investigating and prosecuting the crime of sex trafficking includes understanding concepts such as consent and coercive control. Proving these concepts within the federal criminal justice system is not straightforward (Albanese et al., 2022). This study will examine the challenges law enforcement professionals face in identifying and putting forth the elements of force, fraud, and coercion in federal sex trafficking investigations and prosecutions. Investigating and prosecuting the crime of sex trafficking requires an understanding of both jurisprudence and the psychology of victims and offenders. This study will examine how criminal justice professionals have identified and given evidence to define the concepts of force, fraud, and coercion in successful sex trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | James Pann (Supervisor), Jeanne Allert (Advisor) & Abigail Tucker (Advisor) |
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