March 2016

With funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Center for Court Innovation conducted a multi-site study designed to increase scientific knowledge concerning youth involvement in the sex trade. Nearly 1,000 youth, ages 13-24, were interviewed across six sites on subjects including entry into the sex trade, earning a living, finding customers, involvement of pimps and market facilitators, health issues and service needs, interactions with law enforcement, and outlook for the future. The six sites are:

  • Atlantic City, N.J.
  • Chicago, Ill.
  • Dallas, Tex.
  • Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Miami, Fla.
  • The Bay Area, Calif.

2M Research Services, LLC was the principal investigator for the Dallas, Texas Site.

Experiences of Youth in the Sex Trade in North Texas: Shattered Lives (link to report)

By Marcus Martin, Heather Champeau, Susan Ullrich, Aja Johnson, and Kathryn Cardarelli

This study in Dallas, TX included interviews with youth, ages 13-24, who were engaged in the sex trade. Most of the youth interviewed worked on their own and were not closely networked to others in the sex trade. Researchers repeatedly found strong-willed survivors who enjoyed substantial autonomy in the selection of customers, work hours, and living conditions. For many transgender and gay youth, personal or familial struggles as a result of their sexuality and/or gender identity may have led them into the sex trade.

Other site reports can be located at:

http://www.courtinnovation.org/youthstudy

 

About 2M Research Services, LLC
Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, with additional offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., 2M Research Services, LLC is one of the fastest growing private, small business professional services firms in the country. We provide our clients in Federal government agencies, foundations, and the health care industry with high-impact consulting expertise on complex survey research, data analytics, and program evaluation projects. 2M’s staff include subject matter experts in population health, disease surveillance, social policy, applied econometrics, survey research, health economics, clinical research, observational research, biostatistics, spatial statistics (GIS), pharmacoeconomics, education policy, housing policy, program support, and program evaluations. For more information on 2M or the services we provide, please visit us at www.2mresearch.com or call at 855.328.1611.