U.S. Prisons Become Market for Human Trafficking

“barbed wire” by Omer Unlu licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: The Guardian

A new report and investigation from The Guardian found that U.S. prisons often function as a market for human traffickers.

Investigators report that traffickers can access information of inmates, including their release dates, to target them upon release.

Human traffickers can create a pipeline of victims directly derived from prisons, and in turn many women become victims. In several states including Ohio, Mississippi, Texas and Florida traffickers were found to be bailing women out of jail and threatening to have their bonds rescinded if they didn’t work as prostitutes.

“Sometimes women are released not knowing who bonded them out or why, or what they’ve gotten into, and now they’re being coerced,” said Diane Checchio, former prosecutor in Florida, as reported by The Guardian.

Read Full Story: The Guardian

Justice & Poverty, News
Justice & Poverty, News