Best practices for working with victims of human trafficking (INFOGRAPHIC).

Byline: Michaela Paukner, mpaukner@wislawjournal.com

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act provides that victims of human trafficking shouldn't be inappropriately incarcerated, fined or penalized as a result of crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked. Despite the legal relief, a 2016 National Survivor Network survey found more than 50 percent of trafficking survivors said the only arrests on their record are trafficking-related.

The American Bar Association started the Survivor Reentry Project to provide national training and assistance for attorneys working with trafficking survivors seeking criminal record relief.

SRP met with prosecutors with experience working with human trafficking victims in March. Together, they developed principles to ensure consistency and reliability for survivors who...