This summer, human trafficking specialists from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation traveled to Mississippi to host a one-day training seminar for more than 100 troopers from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, as well as representatives from other state agencies such as the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security, district attorneys’ offices and police and sheriff’s departments across Mississippi. 
Chief of Police at MSU, Vance Rice, said that unfortunately, no MSU officers attended the human trafficking training program this time, but he expressed interest in sending some officers to any future training programs the state provides in the future.
 During the seminar, the specialists offered training, advice and techniques for dealing with the growing crime of human trafficking.
James Herzog, director of Special Operation in the Major Crime Unit with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, said he hopes this training will give officers the knowledge they need to identify and deal with human trafficking. 
He also hopes to create additional training for officers in the future. 
“Our space was limited, and we had more than 100 officers attend,” Herzog said. “We are currently looking to add additional training.”
The program was implemented at the recommendation of the Governor’s Task Force after they received the state’s official report on human trafficking in Mississippi, which showed evidence that Mississippians are at a higher risk of becoming victims of human trafficking than other Americans. 
This vulnerability comes as a result of the extensive presence of common risk factors for human trafficking victims in Mississippi. According to World Bank Group, these common risk factors consist of poverty, limited economic and educational opportunity, homelessness/unstable family life, and living in areas of high crime and corrupt government. 
Angela Gaddis headed the creation of the “Rapid Assessment on DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) in Mississippi” and found some startling statistics on the prevalence of this modern day slavery in the state of Mississippi.
According to the assessment, Mississippi is the most poverty-stricken state in the U.S., with a 24% poverty rate. More than 1 out of 3 Mississippi children live in poverty. Mississippi was ranked as the 2nd worst state in the U.S. in regards to child homelessness and was ranked 51st among the 50 states, including Washington D.C., in K-12th grade academic achievement. Mississippi was named among the top 5 most corrupt states when it comes to law enforcement. 
Central Mississippi, especially Hinds, Madison, Ranking, and Warren counties, are even more vulnerable to these risk factors because of their geographic location. Major north-south and east-west interstates intersect in Jackson, MS, contributing to the city’s status as a “hub” for sex trafficking in the southeastern U.S. 
To make things worse, central Mississippi isn’t prepared to care for victims of human trafficking. There are no shelters specializing in the needs of human trafficking victims. Additionally, many victims slip through the cracks, or are mislabeled as criminals because first responders aren’t trained to identify victims of human trafficking. 
Gaddis said the State’s training program is a good starting point, because lack of identification for victims is a major issue.
“It’s like going to the doctor,” Gaddis said. “You have to be able to diagnose the problem, before you can even begin trying to fix it.”
Additionally, in her assessment, Gaddis recommends more awareness and training for law enforcement as well as the public, victim identification, protection services for victims, trafficker prosecution, and many more necessary steps to combat human trafficking in Mississippi. 
Government officials are eager to continue their efforts to further combat human trafficking across the state. According to a press release from the Mississippi Department of Transportation, research is currently being conducted in the areas of human trafficking prevention and victim support. Herzog said public citizens can help prevent this crime by making sure they are always aware of their surroundings, and notifying law enforcement of anything that is out of the ordinary or suspicious.
   Rice said that the main threat to MSU is that traffickers are known to try and entice vulnerable young women and even young men on college campuses, and once they’re in he says, “It’s over.” He hopes to educate some of his officers on this issue, so that they are more prepared to combat it and to help educate students on how to recognize human trafficking and keep themselves aware and safe.