This report examines the scope of human trafficking in California, reviews the State’s response to the problem of human trafficking, and offers recommendations to strengthen California’s strategy to combat human trafficking.
Findings and recommendations regarding the issue of human trafficking in California were presented in four areas with recommendations presented and related to each finding. The first, is in the area of identifying the scope of human trafficking in California, the finding is that California lacks comprehensive data on human trafficking. Second, in the area of protecting and assisting victims of human trafficking, the highlighted findings include: (1) many members of law enforcement, health and social services providers, labor agencies and other first responders may fail to recognize the signs of human trafficking; (2) shelter is one of a trafficking victim’s most critical needs, but California lacks enough shelter space to support victims; and (3) the delivery of and access to victim services are not always well coordinated throughout the State. Third, in the area of investigating and prosecuting human trafficking, findings include: (1) the State’s human trafficking law needs to be strengthened to help prosecute traffickers and (2) the lack of trained law enforcement, attorneys and judges impedes opportunities to arrest, prosecute, and sentence traffickers. Fourth, in the area of preventing human trafficking in California, the findings include: (1) there is a moral responsibility of the State government, corporations, and businesses to exert leadership to insist on humane and lawful labor standards and (2) lack of awareness about human trafficking and societal attitudes that perpetuate this problem result in lost opportunities to help victims escape traffickers. The California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery Task Force was established to conduct a thorough review of California’s response to human trafficking and report its findings and recommendations to the governor, attorney general, and legislature. This report presents the Task Force’s findings and recommendations. Appendix A-F