ABSTRACT

Results from an evaluation of a juvenile human trafficking court are presented to explore the ways in which tensions between (a) human trafficking rhetoric, (b) a legal framework that cannot resolve the conflict inherent in the victim-delinquent identity required by Safe Harbor legislation, and (c) the lived experiences of youth in the program do not support youth actually quitting the sex trade. Practical hurdles to implementation of the program are also discussed, and recommendations on how other jurisdictions might approach the issue are offered.