Thomson Reuters Institute

Municipal Jail Signs Toolkit

Municipal resources to reach out to victims of human trafficking who may pass through the criminal justice system.

In the past, the City of Houston’s municipal jails did not facilitate calls to the National Human Trafficking tip hotline. Recognizing the importance of aiding victims within the criminal justice system, efforts were made to reprogram the phones in these jails, allowing victims to directly connect with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This initiative extends to Harris County, where phones in jails and the Intake Center have also been reprogrammed to support this endeavor. To further empower victims to make these critical calls, the posters above the jail phone banks present intake-style questions, mirroring those found in the Palm-Sized Cards for Direct Outreach Toolkit. These questions are presented in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese Mandarin (Simplified), Vietnamese, and Thai, ensuring accessibility for a diverse range of individuals. The signs provide clear, step-by-step instructions on how to dial out and access Polaris’ hotline, promoting swift and effective communication for those in need of assistance. This toolkit includes the multi-lingual poster designed specifically to be placed above jail phone banks.

What's included:

Thomson Reuters Institute

Human trafficking toolkits

These toolkits contain resources, tools, and information for organizations collaborating in public and private partnerships to combat human trafficking.