Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab

Key words: Consulting, Volunteer

Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab 

The Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab is committed to combatting human trafficking through rigorous multidisciplinary research, close partnerships with frontline stakeholders, and large scale, research-driven policy interventions. We are a passionate group of economists, statisticians, computer scientists, and policy experts committed to real-world impact. Our research aims to understand and highlight the most effective policies and actions aimed at combating and preventing human trafficking, devising strategies to reduce potential exploitation, and championing survivor-centered initiatives.

For the past four years, the Lab has strategically focused its effort in Brazil, where trafficking prevalence is significant. The country’s robust administrative record-keeping environment and well-established transparency laws make it an ideal environment for this work, which has been made possible through a strong partnership with Brazil’s Federal Labor Prosecution Office, a key actor in the country’s anti-trafficking response and policy agenda.

Some of our many projects include:

•  building and evaluating a decision support tool for Brazilian counter-trafficking authorities to better prioritize and more quickly start investigations of likely cases of human trafficking, 

• building and evaluating a remote detection tool that identifies sites where illegal deforestation and use of forced labor overlap in remote areas along the Arc of Deforestation, and 

• expanding a national case management system for survivors of human trafficking to ensure more survivors can access critical services, while also enhancing system capabilities and reach. 

Learn more at https://htdatalab.stanford.edu/ 

Ways for DCI Fellows to engage in our work:

Depending on the relevant experience of interested DCI fellows, we envision the following opportunities for partnership:

1. The Lab is currently applying for sponsored research funding to support the enhancement of an existing case management system for survivors of human trafficking in Brazil. Someone with relevant experience may be able to help guide us on the technical elements of this work, including developing offline and mobile versions of the system, as well as integrating new features, such as voice to text data input.

2. Develop a communications/outreach strategy for the Lab. In many ways, the Lab is akin to a nascent NGO. For the past five years, a lot of our time and energy has gone into the development and implementation of a research agenda, but we have less time/expertise to devote to thinking through how to communicate this to others who might be interested in collaborating, partnering, and/or supporting our work.

3. Related to the previous point, another area where the Lab could benefit from external expertise is around developing a sustainable funding model. To date, we have largely operated on sponsored research grants, but this makes it challenging to maintain key core operations that run across all our work. We would welcome external guidance to design a sustainability plan for our Lab’s longterm operations. This is becoming evermore acute given the recent freezes in federal funding for foreign assistance, which hisotically makes up a significant portion of our project funds. 

Contact: Jessie Brunner - jbrunner@stanford.edu