Validating the Human Trafficking Screening Tool for Justice System-Involved Youth

Determining the most effective ways to identify victims of human trafficking (HT) has been a growing priority for youth-serving agencies. Given the risk of HT victimization among system-involved youth, the goal of this study was to test the validity of the Human Trafficking Screening Tool for Youth (HTST-Y) among system-involved youth who had been assessed for the possibility of HT victimization in a state-wide youth services department. Approximately 3 years of administrative screening data across 2,010 assessments were analyzed. Data included youth demographic variables, HT outcomes (confirmed victim or indicated at-risk), and assesment measures, including the HTST-Y. The HTST-Y includes 13 domains believed to be predictors of HT victimization. Assessments of confirmed or potential HT victims were significantly more likely to be flagged for each of the major domains on the HTST-Y, except for gang involvement, compared to assessments of non-victims. Further, the overall assessment tool did not find that gang involvement or evidence of tattooing/branding was related to potential or confirmed HT victimization. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that the HTST-Y performs well at differentiating HT victimization outcomes among system-involved youth.