Score: +8 (8/3/0)

Orange County Grand Jury • 2022-2023

Human Sex Trafficking in Oc County of Orange Grand Jury 2022-2023 Human Sex Trafficking in Orange County

Published: June 12, 2023 18 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 11 findings

Funding to combat human sex trafficking is both inconsistent and insufficient, resulting in less participation in the OCHTTF by law enforcement agencies.

Related Recommendations (2)

By June 30, 2024, the City of Anaheim and the County of Orange should secure a stable source of annual funding to incentivize all city law enforcement agencies in Orange County to participate with dedicated law enforcement personnel on the OCHTTF. (F1, F2)

By June 30, 2024, the City of Anaheim and the County of Orange should develop a database dedicated to Human Trafficking that specifically tracks Sex Trafficking networks and victims. (F1, F2, F5, F6, F10)

Limited budgets, training, and hiring challenges constrain local law enforcement agencies’ ability to devote significant resources toward combating human sex trafficking.

Related Recommendations (3)

By June 30, 2024, the Orange County Social Services Agency should identify and implement additional long-term victim support programs with financial support for adults in order to enhance opportunities to remove sex trafficking adult victims from the street. (F2, F3, F5, F7, F8, F11)

The victim support network is defined and well developed for underaged (minor) victims. However, long-term support for adults is voluntary and there is no actionable follow-up for adult victims of human sex trafficking.

Related Recommendations (1)

Education and prevention efforts have increased awareness of human trafficking but remain insufficient to create heightened awareness within the Orange County community.

Related Recommendations (2)

By June 30, 2024, the District Attorney should publicize successful prosecution of human trafficking cases. (F4, F7)

By June 30, 2024, the County of Orange should fully fund Education and Prevention Programs to address Human Sex Trafficking. (F1, F2, F4, F6, F7, F8,

Agencies inadequately record, track, and coordinate their data collection to effectively measure their progress toward addressing human trafficking.

Related Recommendations (3)

By June 30, 2024, the County Social Services Agency and Waymakers should develop a more robust victim assistance database to track victims to measure effectiveness toward reducing recidivism and re-victimization. (F3, F5, F6, F8,

There is no centralized, coordinated, and specialized database in Orange County that could be utilized across all affiliated agencies to track repeat victimization.

Related Recommendations (2)

Orange County’s wealth and tourist attractions make it a magnet for human sex trafficking.

Related Recommendations (2)

By June 30, 2024, the District Attorney should publicize successful prosecution of human trafficking cases. (F4, F7)

Sex trafficking is an underground crime. Trafficked individuals are transient and mobile, making it difficult to discover and identify victims.

Related Recommendations (1)

Law enforcement attitudes and methods have changed to a “victim centered trauma informed” approach, but more training is needed to identify, intervene on behalf of, and support victims.

No recommendations for this finding

F10

Law enforcement agencies do not focus enough on the demand side of human sex trafficking, and punishment of the clients is minimal.

Related Recommendations (1)

F11

Victims and survivors need complex ongoing social service support.

Related Recommendations (1)

Conclusions 1

CL1

This report is meant to enhance public awareness, bringing to light the difficulty and complexity of human sex trafficking and the harms that this criminal enterprise inflicts on its victims in Orange County. Sex trafficking is a multidimensional crime of supply and demand that inflicts psychological and physical damage to vulnerable individuals. Through the efforts of the OCHTTF and its various partners in law enforcement, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, various nonprofits, and County agencies engaged in victim support, these recommendations, if implemented, will serve to enhance efforts to combat this serious crime.

Commendations 3

CM1

Anaheim, Irvine, and Santa Ana Police Departments
CM2

Orange County District Attorney’s Office
CM3

Orange County Sheriff’s Department

Agency Responses 4

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

City of Irvine

September 14, 2023 • 5 pages • 13 responses • Score: +8 (+8, 3, 0) View Details ▾

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13 responses to findings and recommendations

Many children experiencing homelessness are not identified as such, and therefore do not receive the support and benefits authorized by the McKinney-Vento Act.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

F1 The City of Irvine disagrees in part with this finding. While funding is a consideration related to participation in the OCHTTF, some agencies did not participate in the task force even when the positions were grant funded. The challenge extends beyond funding to included staffing shortages.

The lack of mandatory McKinney-Vento Act training of school site office staff, counselors, and teachers contributes to a failure to identify children experiencing homelessness.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F2 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. Budgets and hiring challenges have made it difficult for all agencies to hire personnel and maintain service levels for their cities. Honorable Maria Hernandez Septembe

The majority of McKinney-Vento Liaisons are in full-time positions, but because their work includes multiple non-McKinney-Vento responsibilities, most do not have sufficient time to do the work required by the McKinney-Vento Act.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F4 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. The OCHTTF's partnership with city, County, and private entities has assisted in bringing awareness to the human trafficking crisis in the County. However, without consistent funding, the reach of training facilitated by the task force for other agencies has been lessened.

By January 1, 2024, for children experiencing homelessness to receive uninterrupted McKinney-Vento benefits, Orange County school districts should add a section to their mandatory enrollment school form enabling parents/guardians to give permission for their school to share information regarding their child’s McKinney-Vento status with other districts that their child may be attending. (F7)

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

R4 This recommendation needs further analysis. Although the recommendation is directed at the City of Anaheim and the County of Orange, the City of Irvine recognizes the value of a database to track sex trafficking networks and victims. However, it is not appropriate for a local law enforcement agency to house such information. A state or national database would be better equipped to handle the transitory nature of human traffickers and their victims.

Many McKinney-Vento Liaisons lack needed experience due to a high turnover rate in those positions.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F5 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. The OCHTTF traditionally utilized grant funding to facilitate data collection. Without consistent funding, the taskforce’s ability to maintain robust data collection and analysis is impacted.

McKinney-Vento Act training is not mandatory for the majority of McKinney-Vento Liaisons.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F6 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding; however, a non-profit or County agency would be better suited than a local law enforcement agency to manage such a database due to laws, policies, and procedures.

By October 1, 2023, a joint task force should be formed by the OCDE comprised of a district-level administrator from each Orange County school district and leadership from non-profit organizations who serve homeless families, to address absenteeism, low test scores and low graduation rates of children experiencing homelessness. (F.11, F.12,

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R6 By June 30, 2024, the County of Orange should fully fund Education and Prevention Programs to address Human Sex Trafficking (

Students experiencing homelessness who are enrolled in an elementary district often do not continue to receive McKinney-Vento benefits when they move to a high school district because the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents the sharing of this information between districts.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F7 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. Orange County is a magnet for tourism and travel with its affluence, strong business environment, world-renowned attractions, beaches, and excellent weather. The confluence of those attributes provides an environment for human trafficking.

McKinney-Vento funds depend on school districts submitting grant proposals, but not all districts have employees trained in writing grant applications, resulting in missed funding opportunities.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F8 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. Human trafficking victims and suspects cross city, county, and state lines. As a result, we believe a regional approach through the OCHTTF is the best model to effectively investigate and impact human trafficking.

School districts that do not apply for grants which fund programs benefitting children experiencing homelessness miss potential revenue opportunities.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F9 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. The Task Force continues to provide information and training to IPD personnel. Additionally, the Task Force has provided training to key hotel personnel in our City to help recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking.

F10

McKinney-Vento is an unfunded federally mandated program; however, school districts which qualify and apply for Title I, Part A funds may obtain revenues that can be used The ABC’s of Educating Children Experiencing Homelessness in Orange County for children experiencing homelessness. These funds are insufficient to meet the needs of the school districts supporting children experiencing homelessness.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

F10 The City of Irvine disagrees partially with this finding. The OCHTTF conducts operations targeting the demand side of human sex trafficking by arresting sex purchasers. However, purchasing sex is a low-level offense often resulting in a citation at the time of arrest. The Honorable Maria Hernandez Septembe

F11

A lack of reliable transportation for children experiencing homelessness often results in chronic tardiness and absenteeism.

Response: Agree Score: +1

F11 The City of Irvine agrees with this finding. The OCHTTF partners with advocates from Waymakers in order to address these complex survivor challenges. Nonprofit victim service organizations are well equipped to provide long term care and support for survivors. RECOMMENDATIONS:

R14

By December 31, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should open the shelter to the public for walk throughs to maximize opportunities for the public to adopt animals under the care of the shelter. (F13)

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

r 14, 2023 The Honorable Maria Hernandez Presiding Judge of the Superior Court 700 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701 Subject: 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury Report “Human Sex Trafficking in OC” City of Irvine and Irvine Police Department Response To the Honorable Maria Hernandez: In accordance with California Penal Code section 933.05, the Orange County Grand Jury has requested the City of Irvine and the Irvine Police Department respond to findings and recommendations in the 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury report entitled: "Human Sex Trafficking in OC.” FINDINGS:

County of Orange Executive Office

September 12, 2023 • 8 pages View Details ▾

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Orange County District Attorney’s Office

August 11, 2023 • 5 pages View Details ▾

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Orange County Sheriff's Department

August 08, 2023 • 6 pages View Details ▾

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No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Orange County County