Human Trafficking Survivors and the Florida Juvenile Justice System

This free webinar is one in a series that BBCAHT and STAC is organizing during this time of social distancing and to keep up our Third Friday training schedule. We are happy to extend this invitation to friends and colleagues throughout the Big Bend and beyond – please join us!

November 20, 2020

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern / 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Central 

What happens when children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation or whose labor has been exploited become involved with the juvenile justice system? This presentation introduces audiences to human trafficking in Florida and describes what happens when juvenile trafficking victims encounter the juvenile justice system. The audience will learn about how the juvenile justice and child welfare systems team up to identify possible victims, the statewide structure guiding anti-trafficking policy for exploited children, and considerations specific to 2020 and the ongoing pandemic.

Meet our panelists

Dr. Jasmine Armstrong has worked for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice since 2017 in the Office of Research and Data Integrity as a research analyst for a study exploring crime characteristics of juveniles who commit sexually-related offenses. She currently serves as the Human Trafficking Intervention Coordinator for FDJJ. Prior to her employment with DJJ, Dr. Armstrong has studied societal differences in marginalized youth and young adults. Her research interests include social stratification, race/gender studies, intersectionality, and higher education. She holds a Ph.D. and MS in Sociology from Florida State University and a BA in Sociology from the University of Florida.

Katherine C. Gomez (she/her) currently serves as the Director of Human Trafficking Intervention for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ). She holds a BA from the University of Florida, an MA from the University of South Florida, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Central Florida. She has served Florida since 2006 as a juvenile probation officer, trainer, researcher, and administrator. She specializes in working with youth who have experienced human trafficking, sexually marginalized youth, youth who have committed sexually-related offenses, and high-profile multijurisdictional cases.