Attorney General Josh Kaul aims to ramp up Wisconsin's efforts to combat human trafficking, calling it "an outrage" the crime still exists.

"There's both sex trafficking and forced labor," Kaul said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "This is a crime where people have been forced or coerced into engaging in an illegal activity."

Kaul has requested six additional positions at the state Department of Justice that would be involved in human trafficking investigations.

Four of the new positions would join the agency's digital forensic unit, which is focused on recovering evidence from electronic devices, such as cellphones and computers. Those new staffers, known as digital forensic examiners, would assist law enforcement agencies around the state.

"People involved in all sorts of crimes use electronic devices, just like everybody else," Kaul said. "Being able to recover evidence from those devices helps with all sorts of investigations, including human trafficking investigations."

Another two positions would be added to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in an effort to "ensure prompt referral and investigation of tips" received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They would also help with case follow-ups and tracking to make sure investigations are promptly completed.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers included the new positions in his budget plan, but its unclear whether they will win the approval of the Republican-controlled Legislature.

The agency has had a human trafficking bureau in its Division of Criminal Investigation since August 2017, Kaul said. The bureau works to conduct investigations, identify and support trafficking survivors, and prosecute pimps and other traffickers.

Kaul said the bureau works "to reduce demand by prosecuting people who are paying for sex and soliciting prostitutes."

The DOJ also works to educate the public and law enforcement about human trafficking, including sex trafficking and forced labor.

"It's in my view an outrage that this is a crime that still exists," Kaul said. "It's important that we raise awareness about it."

The agency holds training for law enforcement, both in how to conduct human trafficking investigations and teaching about the signs of trafficking.

"One of the problems with this issue is it's been under-reported," Kaul said. "We don't think there's as much awareness as there should be, and so making sure that people in law enforcement know what to look for — and know the signs of trafficking — is an important part of combating it."

Accurate statistics about human trafficking can be hard to find because the crime is so under-reported.

RELATED:Nearly 100 recent child and youth sex trafficking cases confirmed in Wisconsin

RELATED:Kids missing from group homes a common thread in Milwaukee sex trafficking

RELATED:'We’re holding the johns accountable': Milwaukee Common Council set to increase penalties for those who solicit prostitutes

A report released last year estimated that 340 young adults and children were victims of sex trafficking in Milwaukee in a four-year period, stretching from Jan. 1, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2016.

About a quarter of those victims had been at one point reported missing from foster care and group homes, a follow-up study released in December found.

Milwaukee has become known as a hub for sex trafficking, in part because of a series of high-profile prosecutions of pimps, as well as rankings in nationwide FBI human trafficking stings.

Court cases here have revealed generations of traffickers, some of whom participated in "pimp roundtables," focused on discussing business practices of the crime.

But it's clear that human trafficking is a statewide problem.

In January, state officials confirmed nearly 100 recent incidents of sex trafficking involving children between June 1, 2017, and Aug. 31, 2018.

The actual number of child sex trafficking cases is also believed to be far higher, as officials acknowledge that many incidents are not reported.

"It's a significant problem," Kaul said. "It's a problem that has been impacting communities around the state and around the country."

Contact Mary Spicuzza at (414) 224-2324 or mary.spicuzza@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MSpicuzzaMJS or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mary.spicuzza.