Transparency Commitment
Every score, label, and factual claim in this report is based on a defined, reproducible methodology. If you believe a score or label is incorrect, consult the formula below and submit a correction through our Corrections Policy.
Trafficking Severity Score (0–100)
The Trafficking Severity Score is a composite metric designed to allow meaningful comparison across different trafficking cases, perpetrators, and enablers. Every profile receives a score from 0 to 100, calculated from seven weighted factors.
The Formula
Severity Score = Legal Outcome (0–25) + Scale (0–20) + Duration (0–15) + Victim Impact (0–15) + Categories (0–10) + Systemic Reach (0–10) + Obstruction (0–5)
| Factor | Max Points | Description | Scoring Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Legal Outcome Severity | 25 | The most serious legal consequence documented |
Convicted = 25 Pleaded Guilty = 23 Indicted = 18 Charged = 15 Settled (civil) = 12 Investigated (formal) = 10 Sanctioned = 8 Alleged (documented) = 5 Deceased before trial = 3 |
| 2. Scale of Operation | 20 | Number of documented victims and financial scope |
1,000+ victims or $100M+ = 20 100–999 victims or $10M–$99M = 17 50–99 victims or $1M–$9.9M = 14 10–49 victims or $100K–$999K = 11 5–9 victims = 8 1–4 victims = 5 Enabling role (not direct trafficking) = 3 |
| 3. Duration | 15 | How long the trafficking operation continued |
20+ years = 15 10–19 years = 12 5–9 years = 9 2–4 years = 6 <2 years = 3 Single incident = 1 |
| 4. Victim Impact | 15 | Severity of harm to victims, including minors |
Child victims + death/severe injury = 15 Child victims (sexual exploitation) = 13 Adult victims + violence/death = 12 Child victims (labor) = 11 Adult victims (sexual exploitation) = 9 Adult victims (labor exploitation) = 7 Psychological/financial harm only = 4 |
| 5. Number of Trafficking Categories | 10 | How many distinct forms of trafficking are documented |
5+ categories = 10 4 categories = 8 3 categories = 6 2 categories = 4 1 category = 2 |
| 6. Systemic Reach | 10 | Geographic and institutional scope of the trafficking network |
International network (multiple countries) = 10 National scope (multiple states/regions) = 7 Regional (one state/province) = 5 Local (one city/area) = 3 Individual operation = 1 |
| 7. Obstruction / Cover-Up | 5 | Did the subject actively obstruct investigation or exploit institutional power? |
Corrupted officials / institutional cover-up = 5 Evidence destruction / witness intimidation = 4 Fleeing jurisdiction = 3 Misleading investigators = 2 No documented obstruction = 0 |
Score Interpretation
0–25
Low Severity
26–50
Medium Severity
51–75
High Severity
76–100
Extreme Severity
Worked Example: Jeffrey Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein
Financier; Convicted Sex Offender; Died in custody August 2019
95
| Factor | Value | Score | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Outcome | Convicted / Indicted | 25 | Pleaded guilty to state charges (FL, 2008). Indicted on federal sex trafficking charges (SDNY, 2019). Died before trial. |
| Scale | 100+ victims | 17 | Federal indictment alleged dozens of minor victims. Civil suits identified 100+ accusers. Financial scope in hundreds of millions. |
| Duration | ~20 years | 15 | Documented abuse from approximately 1999 through 2019 arrest. |
| Victim Impact | Minors / Sexual exploitation | 13 | Victims were predominantly minor girls, many recruited from vulnerable backgrounds. |
| Categories | 3 (sex trafficking, child exploitation, conspiracy) | 6 | Sex trafficking of minors, child sexual exploitation, conspiracy to commit trafficking. |
| Systemic Reach | International | 10 | Operations in New York, Florida, US Virgin Islands, Paris, New Mexico. International network of recruitment. |
| Obstruction | Institutional protection | 5 | 2008 non-prosecution agreement (Acosta/DOJ) shielded co-conspirators. Extensive use of NDAs and legal threats against victims. |
| TOTAL | 91 | Adjusted to 95 (+4) for unprecedented scope of institutional complicity and impact on federal trafficking law reform. | |
Editorial Adjustment Policy
In rare cases, an editorial adjustment of up to +/- 5 points may be applied when the formula does not adequately capture the case's significance. Any adjustment is disclosed with rationale.
Legal Status Labels
Every profile carries one or more legal status labels reflecting documented legal outcomes:
| Label | Definition | Source Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Convicted | Found guilty at trial or conviction stands on appeal. | Court record or DOJ press release. |
| Pleaded Guilty | Entered a guilty or no contest plea. | Court record or official press release. |
| Indicted | Grand jury indictment or criminal information filed. Case pending or resulted in acquittal. | Court docket or official announcement. |
| Charged | Criminal charges filed. | Court docket or law enforcement announcement. |
| Settled | Civil enforcement action resolved through settlement. | Settlement agreement or regulatory order. |
| Investigated | Subject of formal investigation. No charges resulted or investigation is ongoing. | Official confirmation from investigating body. |
| Sanctioned | Formal disciplinary action by regulatory or professional body. | Official record of sanctions. |
| Alleged | Credible allegations from multiple independent sources but no formal charges. | Minimum two independent credible sources. "Alleged" used prominently in text. |
| Deceased | Subject died before legal proceedings could conclude. | Official records confirming death and status of pending proceedings. |
Important: Labels Reflect Legal Outcomes, Not Guilt
A label of "Investigated" means an investigation occurred, it does not imply guilt. A label of "Alleged" means credible allegations exist, it does not mean they are true. We use the strongest documentable legal status.
Citation Standards
Source Hierarchy
- Court records: Indictments, plea agreements, judicial opinions, sentencing memoranda.
- Government reports: US State Dept TIP Reports, UNODC Global Reports, DOJ press releases, IG reports, congressional records.
- Official data: ILO forced labor estimates, Walk Free Global Slavery Index, Polaris Project hotline data, NCMEC CyberTipline reports.
- Academic studies: Peer-reviewed research in recognized journals.
- Major investigative journalism: NYT, WaPo, Reuters, AP, ProPublica, BBC, The Guardian.
- Books and monographs: Published by recognized academic or trade presses.
- NGO reports: Reports from established anti-trafficking organizations (IJM, Polaris, Shared Hope, ECPAT).
Minimum Source Requirements
- Every factual claim must be supported by at least one source from levels 1–5.
- Every legal status label must be supported by at least one source from levels 1–3.
- Every "Alleged" label requires minimum two independent sources.
- Statistics must cite methodology and source organization.
Content Warning Policy
This report documents serious crimes including sexual exploitation, child abuse, forced labor, organ harvesting, and murder. Content warnings appear at the beginning of sections containing particularly graphic descriptions. The report strives to convey the severity of trafficking without gratuitous detail.
Survivor Privacy
No trafficking survivor is identified by real name in this report unless they have publicly and voluntarily shared their story. Composite accounts are labeled as such. All survivor narratives are reviewed for potential re-traumatization risk.
Corrections and Update Policy
How Corrections Work
- Submit via the Corrections page.
- Review: All corrections reviewed within 14 business days.
- Decision: If warranted, the entry is updated and logged.
- Disagreements: Submitter notified with reasoning. One appeal with additional evidence.
Update Schedule
- Scores and labels: Reviewed quarterly.
- TIP Report data: Updated annually when new TIP Report is released.
- Narrative content: Updated as significant new information becomes available.
- Corrections: Processed within 14 business days.
Methodology References
- [1] GOV REPORT US Department of State, "Trafficking in Persons Report," annual editions 2001–2025.
- [2] INTL ORG UNODC, "Global Report on Trafficking in Persons," 2022.
- [3] INTL ORG ILO, Walk Free Foundation, IOM, "Global Estimates of Modern Slavery," 2022.
- [4] NGO REPORT Polaris Project, "National Human Trafficking Hotline Data Reports," 2007–2025.
- [5] NGO REPORT NCMEC, "CyberTipline Annual Reports."
- [6] ACADEMIC Shelley, Louise. "Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective." Cambridge University Press, 2010.