An Exploratory Study of New York City’s Commercial Sex Industry

Abstract

With funding from the National Institute of Justice, the Center for Court Innovation conducted a mixed-method empirical study to fill the knowledge gap. Ultimately, the study’s purpose was to provide an evidence-based foundation for the development of suitable policies and interventions for adults in the sex trade. First, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 316 New York City adults who exchange sex for money or other things they need. Through these interviews, we sought to gain knowledge concerning the life histories of the individuals involved, their involvement in the sex trade, the extent and nature of sex trafficking, and involvement with the criminal justice system. Second, the study gained the perspectives and policy recommendations of 28 criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and community representatives affiliated with New York City’s Human Trafficking Intervention Courts (HTICs), a program intended to link court-involved prostitution defendants with services in lieu of standard adjudication and conviction. Third, we sought to produce policy and practice recommendations drawn directly from those with direct, lived experience of the sex trade or from stakeholders involved in planning or implementing the HTICs. (Author Abstract)