Domestic child sex trafficking (DCST) is a growing and complex problem in the U.S. Juvenile and family court judges are in a unique position to assist victimized youth to ensure they receive necessary services to heal and recover from the trauma caused by DCST. To help train judges on this important issue, the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex Trafficking was created by the NCJFCJ in partnership with Rights4Girls, Futures Without Violence, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The Institute’s goal is for judges to return to their communities with a greater ability to identify children who are at risk for or are currently being trafficked, to utilize effective prevention and intervention strategies, and to gain a stronger sense of their courtroom and community roles to help prevent and end domestic child sex trafficking.
The Institute was held most recently in May of 2016 and was evaluated using a pre- and post-survey to assess changes in participants’ knowledge, attitude, and anticipated practice changes. The results demonstrate statistically significant changes in knowledge, the ability to identify risk factors, and more. For details, download the full-length research report below.