Audience

PA-based prosecutors.

Summary

The reality of human trafficking is often in conflict with public perceptions and media representations. This can negatively affect how investigations are conducted, cases are charged, and evidence analyzed by judges and juries. Experts with specialized trafficking knowledge are invaluable assets in any human trafficking case because they can provide context about the modes, means, and methods of trafficking as well as common victim responses to trauma. By providing this context, qualified trafficking experts can assist prosecutors in ensuring that fact finders make informed decisions based on the evidence. This presentation will describe a variety of dynamics that may be present in a trafficking case, as well as common victim responses to trauma. The presenter will summarize the law related to the introduction of expert testimony and highlight the importance of deciding if and when to introduce expert testimony in a case. The presenters will also discuss strategies for the identification and qualification of experts, as well as the importance of working with experts to prepare a case for trial even if their testimony will not be introduced.

Objectives:

At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be better able to:

• Identify individual responses to trauma that may require explanation at trial.
• Admit expert testimony to further educate judges and juries.
• Identify and collaborate with experts in advance of trial.

Presenter

Jane Anderson

Jane Anderson joined AEquitas in October, 2014, after having served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami Dade County. As an Attorney Advisor with AEquitas, Jane has leveraged her experience prosecuting domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking crimes to provide technical assistance and trainings to prosecutors and allied professionals. Specifically, Jane has developed and delivered numerous trainings on the identification, investigation, and prosecution of labor and sex trafficking.

While a prosecutor, Jane tried many of the Florida’s first human trafficking cases, including related sexual assault, child abuse, and money laundering crimes. As a founding member of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit and Task Force, Jane developed key partnerships and infrastructure that improved victim identification and safety, while ensuring that offenders were held accountable. Jane particularly focused on developing creative strategies to charge and prosecute offenders through the use of cyber investigations, digital evidence, and Racketeering (RICO) statutes; and in December 2013 Jane successfully prosecuted a trafficking case where the victim did not testify at trial.

Jane held several supervisory positions where she oversaw the prosecutions of domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, and other felony level crimes. Prior to focusing on Human Trafficking prosecutions, Jane served as the Chief of Litigation for the Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Unit.

Jane graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law after earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Washington in Seattle. Prior to her legal career, she lived and taught English in Bangkok, Thailand. Jane is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area.