Date
2-7-2024
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MS)
Chair
Larry Anthony
Keywords
human trafficking, officers, training, research
Disciplines
Legal Studies
Recommended Citation
Coleman, Emilie O., "Training Considerations for the Identification and Investigation of Human Trafficking Cases in Law Enforcement: A Case Study" (2024). Masters Theses. 1107.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1107
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify the need for specialized training in identifying and investigating human trafficking cases to be provided to law enforcement officers. Approximately 40 million people are victims of human trafficking, and the numbers continue to grow each year. Front-line officers are generally under-prepared to recognize and handle human trafficking cases which shows the need to provide effective and appropriate training to help identify victims and investigate human trafficking cases. Research to provide a solution is guided by a qualitative case study investigation for the purpose of developing and proposing actionable changes law enforcement agencies may take when training officers on human trafficking. A collective case study was used to answer two central research questions; What and how much training are law enforcement officers currently receiving on identifying and investigating human trafficking? What are the recommendations for training law enforcement officers in identifying and investigating human trafficking? Yin’s cross-case synthesis method of analysis is utilized.
