PUBLICATIONS

By Stephanie Richard and Suzanne S. La Pierre

This article explores how the U.S. justice system retraumatizes trafficking survivors by forcing them to testify against their traffickers—often as their only option to avoid prosecution for crimes they were coerced into committing. Prioritizing punishment over support has proven ineffective, diverting resources from survivor-centered care and real prevention. Instead, the article advocates for a survivor-informed, restorative justice model that promotes healing and meaningful reform.

Read Publication: A Restorative Justice Alternative for Trafficking Survivors: The Need for a Collaborative Approach in Establishing a Pilot Program Addressing Survivor-Articulated Needs

By Paloma E. Bustos

This paper provides an in-depth review and research of the California Victim Compensation Board (CALVCB) program and the benefits available for human trafficking survivors under AB-629. From this analysis, we developed key recommendations that CALVCB can adopt to enhance access to these critical benefits

Read Publication: Improving Access to Compensation for Human Trafficking Survivors

By Stephanie K. Richard, Daniel J. Stephenson, and Mark R. Chernausek 

This article examines the mobilization of the child welfare system to better protect child sex trafficking victims and argues that this same attention would benefit child labor trafficking victims. It discusses the impacts of The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act in 2014 and The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act in 2015, similar updates to federal and state laws, including The Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act in 2022, and how these legislative frameworks could have benefited child labor trafficking victims as well as child sex victims while saving resources. Finally, it presents recommendations for bringing child labor trafficking into the purview of the child welfare system. 

Read Publication:  Child Labor Trafficking: The Overlooked Child Welfare Issue

By Anabel Martinez, Senior Policy Counsel 

The report discusses how the child welfare system and other County and City agencies can do more to address the needs of labor trafficked youth, especially youth who are labor trafficked by forced criminality (LTFC). Disturbingly, many of our youth in Los Angeles County and City coerced into criminal activities, are often marginalized by our criminal justice system, perpetuating their victimization. As a remedy, it is paramount that youth apprehended for criminal offenses in Los Angeles County undergo comprehensive screening for various forms of human trafficking, including labor trafficking by forced criminality. 

Read Publication:  Identifying and Addressing the Needs of Youth Who are Labor Trafficked by FC

By: Sabrina Talukder

In this historic Request for Information by The Biden Administration, SJI developed a unique intersectional framework based on our 5 pillars to analyze the disparate impact of the contemporary anti-trafficking policy regime on historically marginalized communities.

Read Publication:  Conducting Anti-Trafficking Work Using a Racial Justice Lens