6 U.S.C. § 645
Verified against govinfo.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on govinfo.gov ↗
- (a)
- (1)Not later than 180 days after December 21, 2018, the Secretary shall issue a directive to—
- (2)The directive required to be issued under paragraph (1) shall include instructions on—
- (A)the investigation of individuals who patronize or solicit human trafficking victims as being engaged in severe trafficking in persons and how such individuals should be investigated for their roles in severe trafficking in persons; and
- (B)how victims of sex or labor trafficking often engage in criminal acts as a direct result of severe trafficking in persons and such individuals are victims of a crime and affirmative measures should be taken to avoid arresting, charging, or prosecuting such individuals for any offense that is the direct result of their victimization.
- (b)
- (1)Not later than 180 days after December 21, 2018, the Secretary shall issue a screening protocol for use during all anti-trafficking law enforcement operations in which the Department is involved.
- (2)The protocol required to be issued under paragraph (1) shall—
- (A)require the individual screening of all adults and children who are suspected of engaging in commercial sex acts, child labor that is a violation of law, or work in violation of labor standards to determine whether each individual screened is a victim of human trafficking;
- (B)require affirmative measures to avoid arresting, charging, or prosecuting human trafficking victims for any offense that is the direct result of their victimization;
- (C)be developed in consultation with relevant interagency partners and nongovernmental organizations that specialize in the prevention of human trafficking or in the identification and support of victims of human trafficking and survivors of human trafficking; and
- (D)include—
- (c)The training described in sections 642 and 644 of this title shall include training necessary to implement—