The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), a part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, has released its latest findings on human trafficking incidents that were reported by law enforcement agencies throughout 2022. This sobering report, "Human Trafficking Incidents Reported by Law Enforcement, 2022 – Statistical Tables," gives a numerical face to a crime predominantly characterized by labor trafficking and sex trafficking. According to the report, it details the number of incidents and victimizations broken down by type while also including a breakdown by sex, age, race, location, and weapon type.
Amidst a backdrop of increasing awareness around human trafficking, the BJS utilizes information from their databases along with the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) Estimation Program to fully analyze and accurately, though never adequately, capture the scope of this crime. The report goes in-depth to thoroughly provide incident clearance types, numbers of offenders per incident, and the fraught relationships between alleged offenders and victims. It is a compilation intent not just to inform, but to implicitly call to action any who peer into its pages.
Kevin M. Scott, Ph.D., acting director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, oversees the collection, analysis, and dissemination of these vital statistics that aim to shed light on the darker corners of crime and criminal justice in the United States.
Adding to the statistical bulk of the Office of Justice Programs, the BJS stands with agencies such as the Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, and Office for Victims of Crime who all strive to collectively improve the nation's capacity to not just prevent crime, but importantly as well, to do proudly herald justice and equity. Complete information on the report can be found on the BJS's website, echoing a commitment to transparency and public awareness that is difficult, yet crucial, to maintain.
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