Human Trafficking Paper
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Arizona State University *
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590
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Law
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
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6
Uploaded by BailiffFreedomStingray18
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Human Trafficking
Anne F. Phillips
Saint Leo University
CRJ 590: Applied Project in Criminal Justice Administration
Dr. Phillip Neely
August 16, 2023
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Human Trafficking
I. The Problem Statement
Law enforcement agencies today are faced with stopping human trafficking which is a growing problem. Human trafficking affects individuals around the globe and is one of the most shameful crimes. Human trafficking steals an individual’s dignity, rips people apart from their families, and affects communities. Human trafficking is complex, which makes it difficult to prosecute. Human trafficking involves sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and domestic servitude. Identifying victims of human trafficking presents challenges to law enforcement. Most times, victims do not report that they have been trafficked to the police. Individuals that have been identified as victims of human trafficking also do not want to cooperate with law enforcement. II. Factors Bearing on the Problem
Law enforcement personnel are tasked with helping victims of human trafficking. The following four factors are issues that law enforcement face when it comes to the fight against human trafficking.
There is a lack of training for law enforcement personnel when it comes to human trafficking.
Human trafficking victims are not likely to identify as a victim, often blaming themselves
for being in their situation.
Human trafficking victims are hesitant to cooperate with law enforcement. Victims of human trafficking fear they may be deported.
Human traffickers operate under the radar making it difficult for law enforcement to apprehend.
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Assumption Section- Even though human trafficking is not new to the United States, it is hard for law enforcement to identify victims from criminals. Victims of human trafficking do not trust law enforcement and therefore are hesitant to report traffickers. Human traffickers travel from one place to the next, making it difficult for law enforcement to track them down.
Prosecution of human traffickers is difficult due to the barriers listed above.
III. Discussion
When it comes to human trafficking training, there is a lack of it, when law enforcement personnel are involved. For starters, not all states require training for law enforcement personnel.
Being that human trafficking is a known problem not only globally, but also in North America, this produces inconsistencies when it comes to law enforcement being trained in human trafficking. Law enforcement personnel have a primary responsibility of protecting the public and apprehending those who commit crimes. This means there is a good chance that in their daily
duties, law enforcement may come across someone who is a victim of human trafficking. If law enforcement personnel are not equipped to look for the signs of someone who is being trafficked,
they are not able to properly identify or offer help to someone who has been trafficked (Clawson,
Dutch & Cummings, 2006). Some law enforcement entities are small units and hard pressed for finances when it comes to
meeting training needs. This means that resources and funding are limited. Law enforcement agencies in this position allocate resources to more pressing issues and not human trafficking training. This is complicated by having limited officers that can identify and investigate cases of human trafficking. In addition, human trafficking cases are lengthy and take time to investigate (Clawson & Dutch, 2008).
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When there is training for law enforcement, it is inconsistent and there is no curriculum that is nationally based when it comes to human trafficking (Copple, J. 2023). There is also a lack of communication and coordination between community partners and law enforcement. Without training, law enforcement and members of the community may be limited when it comes to identifying victims. This limits agencies from being in a position to help those that have been trafficked (Clawson & Dutch, 2008). Human trafficking victims usually do not identify as one, often taking blame for being in the situation they are in. In some cases, human trafficking victims are brainwashed to believe that their trafficker cares about them (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2017). In addition, some victims feel that being trafficked is better than being free because they do not have support at home or are all alone. In some cases, victims are trafficked by their own family members and may not know anything different and perceive trafficking as normal. Trafficking victims may fear leaving even if their trafficker may go to jail, because they do not think they will ever be able to escape.
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Annotated Bibliography
Clawson, H. J. & Dutch, N. (2008, January 19). Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking: Inherent Challenges and Promising Strategies from the Field. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://aspe.hhs.gov
This article is about a study of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducted on victims of human trafficking. This article identifies barriers and looks at improving practices when it comes to helping human trafficking victims. It also discusses the need to identify victims not only internationally but nationally. Clawson, H. J., Dutch, N. & Cummings, M. (2006, October). Law Enforcement Response to Human Trafficking and the Implications for Victims: Current Practices and Lessons Learned. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. https://www.ojp.gov
This was an article on human trafficking and the response that law enforcement has on this criminal enterprise. The article discusses the importance of law enforcement being able to identify victims of human trafficking and also takes a look at agencies protocols. This also discusses the importance of key stakeholders.
Copple, J. E. (2023) Human Trafficking: The Crucible of Training. The Community Policing Dispatch volume 16 (issue), 4. https://cops.usdoj.gov
.
This article is about the importance of training when it comes to human trafficking. Having consistent national training is key. Law enforcement agencies working together with the community and developing partnerships is important in the fight against human trafficking.
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Understanding the Perspective of the Victim: Recognizing the Complexity of Sex Trafficking Situations, (2017, October). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. https://ojjdp.ojp.gov
This is about human trafficking and the complexity of it. It goes on to discuss that childhood trauma may play a part in victims trying to escape their reality. It also discusses how certain victims are vulnerable to human trafficking.
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