State-Level Responses to Labor Trafficking

Labor traffickers exploit vulnerable individuals and utilize gaps within labor markets. Addressing the widespread nature of labor trafficking requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach that includes victim identification and support, as well as the investigation and prosecution of offenders. State-level efforts can effectively combat labor trafficking by building multidisciplinary coalitions, engaging state agencies with regulatory authority over businesses, and harnessing the leadership of state Offices of the Attorney General.

This presentation examines how trafficking operations often infiltrate legitimate industries and how state resources can be employed to detect and disrupt them. The presenter shares strategies for identifying relevant state agencies responsible for both business oversight and the protection of vulnerable populations. Focus includes how Offices of the Attorney General—regardless of their specific authority—can lead collaborative efforts to hold traffickers accountable.

At the conclusion of this presentation the participants will be better able to:

• Identify state agencies and partners that engage with populations vulnerable to labor trafficking and industries at risk of exploitation
• Leverage the authority and convening power of the Office of the Attorney General to develop effective state-level responses to labor trafficking
• Collaborate with state partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute labor trafficking, including related financial crimes

This presentation was produced by AEquitas under Grant No. 15POVC-21-GK-03263-HT, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this presentation are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.