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The problem of human trafficking in the U.S.: Public frames and policy responses

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  • Farrell, Amy
  • Fahy, Stephanie

Abstract

Nine years after the passage of federal anti-trafficking legislation in the United States, fewer incidents of trafficking have been identified than original estimates of the problem predicted. Some scholars and commentators suggest that changes in the public framing of the trafficking problem aimed at advancing particular agendas are to blame. Yet no studies to date had measured such a reframing process and its attendant consequences. Using a natural history of social problems model (Spector & Kitsuse, 1973) as the theoretical framework to examine the framing of trafficking, this study analyzed text from U.S. newspaper articles about human trafficking from 1990 to 2006. Findings suggest the public framing of human trafficking has changed over time corresponding with the adoption of policies focused on national security and the identification, apprehension, and criminal prosecution of trafficking perpetrators. Challenges following such definitional shifts are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Farrell, Amy & Fahy, Stephanie, 2009. "The problem of human trafficking in the U.S.: Public frames and policy responses," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 617-626, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcjust:v:37:y::i:6:p:617-626
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pate, Symone S. & Anderson, Valerie R. & Kulig, Teresa C. & Wilkes, Nicole & Sullivan, Christopher J., 2021. "Learning from child welfare case narratives: A directed content analysis of indicators for human trafficking," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    2. Alexander Norfolk & Helga Hallgrimsdottir, 2019. "Sex Trafficking at the Border: An Exploration of Anti-Trafficking Efforts in the Pacific Northwest," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Tonisha Jones, 2023. "Perceptions of the Benefits and Barriers to Anti-Human Trafficking Interagency Collaboration: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Study," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Konrad, Renata A. & Maass, Kayse Lee & Dimas, Geri L. & Trapp, Andrew C., 2023. "Perspectives on how to conduct responsible anti-human trafficking research in operations and analytics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 309(1), pages 319-329.
    5. Motseki Morero, 2022. "Police perceptions of human trafficking in South Africa," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 27(1), pages 824-836, January.
    6. Geri L Dimas & Renata A Konrad & Kayse Lee Maass & Andrew C Trapp, 2022. "Operations research and analytics to combat human trafficking: A systematic review of academic literature," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-24, August.
    7. Tony Porter & Hina Rani, 2024. "Legitimacy and space in the use of technologies for environmental and social governance: The cases of human trafficking and COVID-19 contact tracing," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 42(5), pages 725-741, August.
    8. Konrad, Renata A. & Trapp, Andrew C. & Palmbach, Timothy M. & Blom, Jeffrey S., 2017. "Overcoming human trafficking via operations research and analytics: Opportunities for methods, models, and applications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 259(2), pages 733-745.
    9. Byung-Deuk Woo, 2022. "The Impacts of Gender-Related Factors on the Adoption of Anti-Human Trafficking Laws in Sub-Saharan African Countries," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    10. de Vries, Ieke & Farrell, Amy & Bouché, Vanessa & Wittmer-Wolfe, Dana E., 2020. "Crime frames and gender differences in the activation of crime concern and crime responses," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    11. Ronald Weitzer, 2014. "New Directions in Research on Human Trafficking," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 653(1), pages 6-24, May.
    12. Cutbush Starseed, Stacey & Tueller, Stephen & Kluckman, Marianne & Yu, Lilly & Scaggs, Sam & Haggerty, John, 2025. "Assessing the predictive utility of Florida’s human trafficking screening tool among dual system-involved youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    13. Paul Oluwatosin Bello & Adewale A. Olutola, 2022. "Effective Response to Human Trafficking in South Africa: Law as a Toothless Bulldog," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440211, January.
    14. Josephine Osatohanmwen Adeyeye, 2025. "Newspapers’ Framing of Human Trafficking in Nigeria: A Study of Select Newspapers," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(2), pages 3963-3974, February.

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