Many of the challenges confronting Texas’ criminal justice system result from public policies that create incentives which are not fully aligned with the stated goals of the system–reducing crime, restoring victims, and minimizing costs to the taxpayer. This perspective provides policy recommendations for better aligning the system’s incentives and goals.
Criminal Justice
Prosecute Traffickers, Not Victims
The central paradox of human trafficking is that victims, not traffickers, are most likely to face criminal charges. In fact, an individual is more likely to be struck by lightning than prosecuted for trafficking. Which begs the question, why? How Traffickers Turn Victims into Defendants To start, prosecutors and law enforcement act on the best available information...
September 1, 2026