A global organization that fights human trafficking says South Dakota's laws are the worst in the nation. The Polaris Project's 2013 ranking shows South Dakota as the only state labeled Tier 4. In the project's description, that means South Dakota has "not made minimal efforts to enact a basic legal framework to combat human trafficking and should actively work to improve" laws, especially those that protect victims. Johnson disputes the new report and says it focused on state laws but overlooked key efforts underway involving multiple government agencies. Johnson calls South Dakota a national leader in combating sex trafficking. He says this is because local, state and federal law enforcement agencies cooperate to see perpetrators are prosecuted in federal court where they face the stiffest penalties possible.
South Dakota Attorney Responds To Polaris Project Report
