Polaris Project has rated all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 10 categories of laws that are critical to a basic legal framework that combats human trafficking, punishes traffickers and supports survivors.
2012 State Ratings Map
Download the full 2012 state ratings map, state ratings chart, and methodology document here.Download an individual state report here.
Read the press release here.
State Ratings Statistics- 28 states (55%) passed new laws to fight human trafficking in the past year.
- As of July 31, 2012, 21 states are now rated in Tier 1 (7+ points), up from 11 states in 2011. Washington received 11 points, the most of any state.
- Four states are "Most Improved": Massachusetts increased by 12 points, South Carolina by 8 points, West Virginia by 6 points, and Ohio by 5 points.
- Four states -- the "Faltering Four" -- are now rated in Tier 4: Wyoming, Arkansas, Montana, and South Dakota. Last year, 9 states were in the bottom tier – the “Nine Lagging Behind.”
- Wyoming has yet to pass any human trafficking law and received -2 points, the lowest number of any state.
- 17 states, or one third of states, increased their rating by at least one tier compared to the 2011 ratings map.
- Polaris Project began tracking and mapping the progress of state anti-trafficking laws in 2007 when only 28 states had anti-trafficking criminal statutes. As of July 31, 2012, the number of states with anti-trafficking criminal statutes, including the District of Columbia, has grown to 48 with sex trafficking offenses and 50 with labor trafficking offenses.
Tier Descriptors
Tier 1 (7+ points): State has passed significant laws to combat human trafficking, and should continue to take steps to improve and implement its laws.Tier 2 (5-6): State has passed numerous laws to combat human trafficking, and should take more steps to improve and implement its laws.
Tier 3 (3-4): State has made nominal efforts to pass laws to combat human trafficking, and should take major steps to improve and implement its laws.
Tier 4 (0-2): These "Faltering Four" states have not made nominal efforts to enact a basic legal framework to combat human trafficking, and should actively work to improve their laws.
Note: The 10 categories are not exhaustive of all the important legislation that helps combat human trafficking in a given state. The ratings used to evaluate states do not assess the effectiveness or implementation of these laws, nor the anti-trafficking efforts of task forces, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, service providers, and advocates in the state.
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