Collaboration and Challenges in Antitrafficking Task Forces: Lessons Learned from the Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Forces to Combat Human Trafficking

• NCJ Number: 305272
• Author(s): Krista White; Paige Thompson ; Evelyn F. McCoy ; Jeanette Hussemann ; William Adams; Roderick Taylor
• Date Published: June 2022
• Grant Number(s): 2017-VF-GX-0004
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This report discusses lessons learned from an evaluation of the federally established Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Forces to Combat Human Trafficking.

Abstract

This evaluation was the first federally funded multisite, mixed-methods study of ECM Collaboration and Challenges in Antitrafficking Task Forces: Lessons Learned from the Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Forces to Combat Human Task Forces in the United States. The current report on the evaluation documents findings on the collaboration between key ECM task force stakeholders and challenges to collaboration. Results from the evaluation indicate that respondents perceive ECM task forces as instrumental in increasing collaboration across agencies, improving awareness about human trafficking, and enhancing system capacity to handle trafficking cases. Challenges include breakdowns in communication and coordination, staff burnout and turnover, personality differences, task forces that are siloed and too large, and differing processes and goals that limit productivity and effectiveness. Key recommendations from task force stakeholders to improve collaboration include improving organizational and operational factors, strengthening relationships between task force members, and leading more training and reform activities.