Placer County launches new online resources in its fight against human trafficking
PLACER COUNTY - Public officials in Placer County are applauding a new law that went into effect in January that increases penalties for human traffickers.
Senate Bill 14, a new law that enhances the punishments for those participating in trafficking, went into effect on January 1, 2024, and makes the crime of sex trafficking of minors a serious felony or "strike" under California's Three Strikes law.
"The Placer County District Attorney's Office will continue to hold human traffickers accountable, and this new law will assist in those efforts," said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. "Human trafficking is one of the most depraved crimes, often hiding in plain sight in our communities. Our prosecutors will use every tool available to us to remove traffickers from our streets."
California consistently ranks first in the nation in the number of human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the Placer County DA's office wrote in a statement to CBS News Sacramento on Thursday.
Despite the increase, over the last 10 years, California has lowered its penalties for traffickers and enacted policies that make it harder for law enforcement to protect trafficking victims, the DA's office says.
To raise awareness about human trafficking, Placer County officials have launched a resource portal and organized a list of educational events.
January is Human Traffic Prevention Month.