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

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• Identifying victims of human trafficking (HT) is a priority for youth-serving agencies.
• System-involved youth are at elevated risk for HT victimization.
• Validating screening tools is crucial for accurate identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the validity of the Human Trafficking Screening Tool for Youth (HTST-Y).
• To assess the HTST-Y's performance among system-involved youth.
• To evaluate the tool's ability to differentiate HT victimization outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of approximately 3 years of administrative screening data (2,010 assessments).
• Inclusion of youth demographic variables, HT outcomes (confirmed victim or at-risk), and HTST-Y measures.
• Examination of 13 HTST-Y domains as predictors of victimization.

Main Results:

• Confirmed or potential HT victims were significantly more likely to be flagged on most HTST-Y domains compared to non-victims.
• Gang involvement and tattooing/branding were not significantly related to HT victimization in this cohort.
• The HTST-Y demonstrated good performance in differentiating HT victimization outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The HTST-Y is a valid tool for identifying human trafficking victims among system-involved youth.
• Findings support the use of the HTST-Y in youth-serving agencies for HT screening.
• Further research may explore the specific utility of each HTST-Y domain.