BACKGROUND

U.S. Department of State statistics show that every year, out of more than 700,000 people who become subjects of human trafficking and cross international borders, 50,000 will enter the United States. ACRP Research Report 249: Developing an Airport Program to Address Human Trafficking: A Guide (to be published in spring 2023) will provide a guide and resources to help airports create and implement a comprehensive approach to address trafficking. One particular topic not covered in detail in that report is the use of existing and emerging technologies to aid in the timely detection and reporting of potential human trafficking activity. Airports would benefit from research on this subject to help them understand technologies that could aid in addressing trafficking activity, including their capabilities and limitations, and how they may be implemented.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a primer and guide to help airport operators leverage existing and emerging technologies to aid in the timely detection and reporting of potential human trafficking activity on an airport campus.

The primer should provide a high-level overview of the following (at a minimum):

• All forms of human trafficking activity that may occur on an airport campus;
• Current, emerging, and future technologies that could aid staff, passengers, and victims in detecting and reporting potential human trafficking activity (see Special Note C); and
• How technologies are being (or could be) integrated into an airport’s overall plan for addressing human trafficking activity.

The guide should include (at a minimum):

• Technology data sheets providing detailed descriptions of current, emerging, and future technologies that could aid staff, passengers, and victims in detecting and reporting potential human trafficking activity;
• Guidelines and tools (e.g., decision trees, flow charts) to help airports evaluate, select, implement, maintain, and upgrade technologies that consider:
  • Airport characteristics (e.g., activity type and classification, staffing and financial resource availability, governance);
  • An airport’s existing technology infrastructure, systems, and applications;
  • Data sharing requirements and privacy concerns;
  • End users of the technology (e.g., victims, passengers, employees);
  • Staffing impacts (e.g., commissioning, training, operating);
  • Potential funding sources and eligibility; and
  • Implications for stakeholder coordination;
• Suggestions for identifying and collaborating with stakeholders and developing agreements;
• Methods for tracking and assessing the effectiveness of implemented technologies;
• Representative case study examples (both airport and non-airport) of using technology to reduce human trafficking; and
• An executive summary that can also be available as a stand-alone document.

STATUS: Research is underway.