Missing and Trafficking
Description
In this episode we talk to Marinus Analytics with a focus on how data analytics can help discover patterns in human trafficking and missing people. Specifically, how their team is using artificial intelligence to find the missing—and hold traffickers accountable.
Cara Jones and Colin Ward are partnering with child welfare agencies and law enforcement to help identify missing youth through Ai and facial recognition in potential online exploitation posts.
Guests
Marinus Analytics CEO, Cara Jones, is passionate about innovation for the public and private safety sectors. She has managed Marinus Analytics’s Traffic Jam service to disrupt commercial exploitation and trafficking since the company’s founding. She has a deep wealth of experience in computer engineering, social entrepreneurship, and the emerging safety tech sector. The company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, with a sister office in London, and serves clients across three continents..
Colin is a dedicated professional with a distinguished 30-year career in UK law enforcement, culminating in his retirement in 2023. As a Detective, he spent 17 years specialising in Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, playing a pivotal role in victim advocacy and investigations. His expertise included a secondment with a national UK team, where he worked as their victim advocacy specialist, ensuring survivors received the support and justice they deserved from law enforcement.
Colin was instrumental in developing and delivering investigator and victim liaison officer training courses across the UK. His commitment to advancing knowledge and operational effectiveness in combating modern slavery continues in his current role as UK & Europe Engagement Lead at Marinus Analytics. Since 2023, he has worked closely with law enforcement agencies and NGOs to optimise the use of cutting-edge technology in the fight against human trafficking.
In addition to his extensive field experience, Colin holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Crime Control (Contemporary Slavery). His expertise has been sought across Europe, where he has actively participated in expert reflection groups for various anti-slavery projects. His ongoing work bridges the gap between policy, technology, and frontline operations, reinforcing his dedication to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and dismantling trafficking networks.