Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Criminal Justice and Homeland Security (D.P.S.)

Department

Division of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security

First Advisor

Dr. Bernard Jones

Second Advisor

Dr. Kelly Sundberg

Third Advisor

Dr. Keith Cozine

Abstract

Native American women and girls, including First Nations people, have been disproportionately targeted due to centuries of marginalization, severe maltreatment, and gender inequality. To mitigate these violent acts, law enforcement and intelligence agencies should use various intelligence methods to identify and locate traffickers, victims, and high-risk locations. The intelligence methods that are analyzed in this study include open-source, geospatial and human intelligence. The lack of utilizing these methods can hinder the ability to mitigate human trafficking effectively. According to a study conducted through Northwestern University, Farrell et al. (2019) provided evidence showing that the Uniform Crime Reporting program continuously displays an undercount of human trafficking victims, which could be due to lack of knowledge and skills with applying intelligence methods. Routine activity theory explains the mentality of traffickers, the techniques used to target victims, and specific vulnerabilities that are attractive to perpetrators (Cohen & Felson, 1979). The 3P paradigm is also applied in this study through the lens of routine activity theory to provide a micro-level approach to combat human trafficking (U.S. Department of State, 2012). This framework focuses on three main components: 1) encouraging governments to protect victims of human trafficking by developing rehabilitation programs to improve their mental and physical health; 2) preventing traffickers from targeting vulnerable populations; and 3) prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing individuals responsible for facilitating human trafficking (U.S. Department of State, 2012). However, due to the unique history of Native Americans, the researcher created a more comprehensive integrated theoretical framework to understand why they are being targeted. Using this framework and intelligence methods will facilitate more successful investigative operations. In this study, forty-five employees from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, military, academia, and non-governmental organizations were interviewed or surveyed on their experiences applying open-source, geospatial, and human intelligence methods in their field operations. Questions regarding the impact of race, ethnicity, and cultural sensitivity on investigative practices were also posed. This research aims to encourage the prioritization of human trafficking and provide various agencies with the knowledge to mitigate the threat of human trafficking, particularly among Native American women and girls.

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