Human trafficking in the spotlight.

• Author: Williams, Rich
• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS - Brief article

The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in stunning fashion at this year's Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Hundreds of thousands of people came from across the country and globe to enjoy the game and festivities hosted in the Hoosier state. But along with all the hoopla comes crime, including prostitution of trafficked victims. Just ask Texas, host of last year's game, where more than 130 arrests related to human trafficking were made during Super Bowl week.

In Indiana, this awareness prompted legislators to evaluate their state laws to see if they could be improved to better combat traffickers. The result was a bill sponsored by Senator Randy Head (R), which became law just before the Super Bowl. It expanded the state's definition of human trafficking to include elements of force and fraud and created a new offense for the trafficking of a minor, when the victim is 16 years of age or younger. Both crimes are Class B felonies.

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In addition to the law change, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department participated in the "National...