Understanding and Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Human Trafficking

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Author: 
Northeastern University, Institute on Race and Justice

Victims of human trafficking are deprived of the most basic human right: the right to freedom. Trafficking victims are often forced into cruel and dehumanizing working conditions and are helpless to leave their exploitative situation or seek help. It is a crime that affects people from all around the world, including here in the United States. Law enforcement, particularly local law enforcement, is often in the best position to identify victims, who may be hidden within the communities they serve and difficult to uncover due to the subversive and underground nature of this crime. As a result, the federal government has prioritized human trafficking prosecutions and expects local law enforcement to become the ‚eyes and ears for recognizing, uncovering and responding to circumstances that may appear to be a routine street crime, but may ultimately turn out to be a human trafficking case‛ (U.S. Department of Justice, 2004: 5)

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Understanding and Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Human Trafficking