DCJ Juvenile and Adult Division Help Get Children Out of the Sex Trade
From Dept. of Community Justice:
Portland, Oregon –Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice (DCJ) worked with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force and a variety of local law enforcement and social service agencies to help get children out of the sex trade, and adult offenders involved in prostitution off the streets.
As part of an overnight sting operation last Thursday, February 19, 2009, DCJ juvenile and adult services staff worked with dozens of agents, officers and deputies to rescue child victims of sex crimes, and identify the adults involved in the trafficking. Enforcement actions were aimed at disrupting the cycle of victimization by getting the children off the streets, and at developing sufficient evidence to bring charges against the adults who profit from the sale of children.
All totaled the law enforcement partners picked up seven underage girls and six adult “pimps” at four sites throughout the metro area. (The sites will not be disclosed, due to on-going investigative efforts.) The partners also cited 14 adult female prostitutes and arrested three “johns” or other adult associates caught in the sting.
Seven juvenile girls were taken off the streets as part of this operation. DCJ’s Juvenile Service Division worked with our partners to help identify, and provide juvenile girls with protective service assessments, and necessary services.
“It was really exciting to work well with federal and local agencies, with everyone working together effectively to get girls out of the sex trade, get them services, and promote public safety,” Patricia K. Iwamoto, a DCJ Community Justice Manager with DCJ’s Juvenile Service Division, who worked on the operation.
DCJ’s Adult Service Division—staff with expertise in supervising “johns” and adult females involved in the sex trade—used the specific authority granted to probation and parole officers to jail adult offenders who were identified as part of the operation. DCJ staff also brought adult women in safely, so they can assist law enforcement agencies with future investigations.
DCJ’s has also been part of the solution to this community’s sex trade challenges by providing appropriate treatment and services to offenders to help reduce the cycle of prostitution.
The Department of Community Justice is the Multnomah County agency responsible for ensuring community safety by providing services, supervision and sanctions to approximately 1000 youth and 8,500 adults.
Posted on February 24, 2009
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