Emerging Issues in Criminal Justice: The Ugly Truth of Human Trafficking in the United States
Derrick Snipes
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Contributors Page My name is Derrick Snipes and I am a Senior Criminal Justice Major at North Carolina Central University. I chose the topic of Human Trafficking in the United States as what I wanted to focus this final senior project on.
Š No portion of the magazine's works may be reproduced without the permission of the author. "This magazine is created in satisfaction of a requirement of the Senior Seminar CRJU 4600-OL at North Carolina Central University, Department of Criminal Justice. It information contained herein, the opinions, or writings are not to be construed to be the opinion or policy of any employee, department, division or office of the University."
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Table of Contents Opinion Editorial: Human Trafficking............................................................................................................ 4 Book Review: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.............................................................................................. 6 Media Analysis Assignment on Mississippi Burning ..................................................................................... 9 Emerging Technology Assignment .............................................................................................................. 12 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Infographic .................................................................................................................................................. 20 Resources .................................................................................................................................................... 21
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Opinion Editorial: Human Trafficking Most people would not believe that North Carolina is one of the states that human trafficking has a growing presence in. Jenna Novak states that, "We're seeing mostly sex trafficking that is coming out of North Human trafficking is the modern-day slavery Carolina” ( Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07). There and it is a sometimes unrecognized problem is also labor trafficking victims as well. North in the United States. Human trafficking Carolina is one of the states on the East coast infringes on the basic rights of people and that has access to major highways and forces them through torture, coercion, and locations within the state where there are a lot any means of creating fear to ensure that they of traffic from high profile people Carson, S. are held in slavery. People are treated as (2016, Jan 07). With this type of people commodities and the criminals that run the comes money and with money comes organizations are profiting off of the sale of criminal organizations. Charlotte has been human beings. When I started researching identified as one of the leading cities for this topic, I assumed that human trafficking human trafficking victims in North Carolina was a problem that was more in other (Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07). The article countries, but I didn’t believe that there was
focuses on the basic information but doesn’t
a huge problem with human trafficking in the go far enough in depth to explain what types United States. During my research, I found of victims were found (age, race, gender, out that this assumption was incorrect and
etc.), and it doesn’t explain what legal actions
that human trafficking was closer to home are being taken in North Carolina to combat than I realized. the problem.
5 The main solution to the problem of
a hotline provided by The National Human
human trafficking is to continue to raise
Trafficking Resource Center and it has
awareness of the problem, encourage
“received over 96,000 calls that identified
community involvement, and continue to
40,000 victims” (Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07).
combat trafficking with swift and severe
All citizens have to do is recognize what the
punishment (Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07).
signs of human trafficking are and call the
Especially in the United States, where
hotline to make tips. These tips are followed
people do not necessarily see human
up on and given to law enforcement to
trafficking as “our problem”, there needs to
investigate. The article focuses largely on
be an increased awareness of how severe the
access to the hotline, including the phone
problem is becoming in the United States
number and words you can text from your
and educated on how to notice the signs of a
cellphone to receive help or report suspected
case of human trafficking. I think that there
victims/activities (Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07).
should be free citizen training programs offered that raise awareness of the issues with the community and give them the information they need to be successful at helping these trafficked individuals. There is
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Book Review: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson In the book, the main story is about Walter McMillan, an inmate that is wrongfully convicted of murder and placed on death row for years before Stevenson can get him out. Stevenson doesn’t just detail Walter’s case and life, but he also includes the struggles he faced in the profession as a death row lawyer and some of the other cases that he encountered in his career that furthered his belief that the justice system is Introduction Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson was
flawed. This book also focused on how
one of the most profound books that I have
prevalent racism still is and how racial
read in a long time. It was an eye-opening
profiling and race can result in wrongful
experience that took me through the
convictions. The most important part of this
challenges that a death row lawyer faces, but
book is that there are so many people in the
not just any death row lawyer, but a black,
world like Walter that were wrongfully
male death row lawyer fighting wrongful
convicted of crimes that they did not commit
execution in the South. Stevenson’s
and if they are ever released from prison,
experiences are colorful, informational,
their lives will never be the same.
heartbreaking, and touch a place in your soul that only injustice can reach. Summary of Content
Analysis and evaluation of the book Just Mercy was a narrative that provided a real experience and perspective
7 on racial bias that was displayed in courts
Walter's alibi was presented but due
across America. The author’s strong sense
to the nature of the crime and the
of what justice is for all people is reflected
environment of the Alabama court system,
throughout the book. “The true measure of
he was convicted because he was a poor
our character is how we treat the poor, the
black man on trial for a white woman's
disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated,
murder. No facts and no truth were bigger
and the condemned.” (pg.18) Based on the
than the racism in Alabama during the trail.
book, America’s character is questionable.
I agree with Stevenson that it is incredible
Walter McMillan’s case was a horror
that not one person on the judicial team
story. Walter McMillan's case was a joke
cared about true "justice". They only cared
and yet, he was convicted and on death row
about "solving" the murder of a white
for a crime he did not commit. Walter had
woman and if that meant setting someone
an airtight alibi that proved that he was no-
up, then so be it.
where near the murder scene at the time of the crime and a white law enforcement official was a witness to his alibi (pg.93). The main witness that testified that Walter was at the murder scene, Bill Hooks, lied about being at the crime scene when he was actually at work and Darnell Houston could
Conclusion The best part of the book to me was
attest to that (pg.105). None of the eye
that although the author is surrounded by so
witness accounts in Walter's trial were ever
much racial bias, so many people being
investigated, but were just taken as truth.
wrongfully convicted, and by being emotionally bombarded daily due to
8 intensity of helping people that are incarcerated in hopeless situations, he remained hopeful. Stevenson at the end of the book focuses not on the travesty that was Walter McMillan’s life after he was targeted and how the wrongful conviction ruined it for him, but the fact that Walter taught him “that mercy is just when it is rooted in hopefulness and freely given� (pg.314). Mercy is all about understanding that people are human and that by forgiving them, you keep them from having the chance to have
any power over your life (pg.314).
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Media Analysis Assignment on Mississippi Burning First of all, the movie Mississippi
by white male police officers that were also
Burning was very emotionally charged for
members of the Klu Klux Klan. The racial
me. It was a movie that was set in the 1960’s
tensions in the town were strong and any
in Mississippi and it is a crime movie about
black person that stood up to them or tried to
the disappearance of three Civil Rights
help the FBI agents were punished or
workers. The movie depicts the true nature
murdered. The police officers used
of Mississippi during this time period.
excessive force, intimidation, coercion, and
Mississippi was one of the last states to
even murder to try to keep the black people
implement segregation, even after there
down. They forcefully maintained
were laws passed against it. There are a lot
segregation and continually said throughout
of racist people that live in Mississippi and there is also an economic divide due to this. The power sits mostly in the white male’s hands and the KKK is openly active during this time. My brother-in-law and his wife live in Greenwood, Mississippi currently and they say that it is still very much like that today. This movie showed how the Civil Rights workers were murdered
10 the movie that “no outsiders would tell them
practices in that they used community
how to live”, meaning that they would
information to find informants or people that
continue to deny any legislation that was in
were talking. Such as the example in the
favor of providing anyone but white
movie where Officer Pell’s wife was talking
supremacists with rights (Parker, Alan,
to the FBI because she didn’t believe in
1988).
what her husband was doing. Officer Pell was informed by other officers of the situation with his wife. He was also protected by his own, which is a common police belief. They stood back and watched him beat his wife and did nothing to help the situation (Parker, Alan, 1988). The type of policing reflected in this
movie depicts exactly how it was during the 1960’s in rural Mississippi. If there was any
In the movie, it is apparent that the majority of the white community felt the same way as the police officers. Officer
abuse going on against black people, law
Pell’s wife said, “that you are not born
enforcement would turn a blind cheek, but
racist, but taught racism” (Parker, Alan,
the same was not true for white people. White people were treated as superior beings by law enforcement and due to the fact that Mississippi was not yet desegregated, black people had no rights to change laws or even elect new officials. The police in the movie demonstrated modern community policing
1988). This is true and in Mississippi, the white community taught racism from the time a child was born. There were children present at the Klan meeting that is shown in the movie. The black people lived in their own section of town, which was clearly
11 segregated from the white section. Even the
racism and maintain segregation. This
majority of the poorer white people felt like
becomes reckless because they never have to
they were superior to the black people. I
answer for their actions and the community
remember one of the women that was
encourages the actions by either supporting
interviewed by the reporters when they were
it or staying silent. Fear and intimidation are
dredging the swamp looking for the bodies
always present in these types of situations
said that “black people didn’t take baths and
and it will continue until enough people take
they stunk” and during the interview she
a stand for change.
didn’t look like she had the best hygiene. I feel like the police maintained/adopted the values of the community and this is dangerous. It is dangerous because there is no one there to uphold the law or think morally. They are using the law and positions of power to push their own agenda and in this case, it was
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Emerging Technology Assignment The emerging technology that I am
movements due to location information from
using is newer medical devices, like
the wireless device. In 2015, the first new
pacemakers that have tracking technology in
wireless pacemaker was inserted with a
them. In the past, medical devices/equipment
catheter without having to perform open
that is surgically implanted in people have
heart surgery. Medtronic is the company that
helped to identify dead victims by using the
is making the new pacemaker. It was
serial numbers. Moving forward, medical
approved by the FDA in 2016 after extensive
devices, such as pacemakers, could provide
clinical trials. The cost of one of the
further evidence during investigation and
Medtronic pacemakers is around $10,000.
trial, by providing some of the same location
The cost of the item is no cost to the criminal
information that cell phones and fitness
justice field due to it being an individual
watches provide currently. This could help
medical device, therefore it will only be
locate missing people, identify victims faster,
helpful in cases that involve individuals that
and also help track potential criminal’s
have these types of medical devices.
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Literature Review and children. According to the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking of Los Angeles (CAST), the United States sees about 50,000 men, women, and children Statement of the Problem Human trafficking has become the modern-day slavery. The United Nations defined human trafficking as the following: Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. (Weakley, M., 2014)
trafficked annually and this is only a best estimate (Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2012). Human traffickers are normally criminals that are also involved in many other criminal activities, such as illegal drugs and use their criminal connections to keep them protected. Human trafficking is a top paying criminal industry and the only industry that brings in more money is the illegal drug trade (Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2012). It’s also easy to get new victims by conning or convincing low
When most people think about human income families that their children are being trafficking, they think of the sex trade, but it afforded better lives elsewhere. Human can also be for purposes of forced labor or trafficking organizations have to have good servitude, and it can include women, men,
“salesmen” on their team to “sell” the
14 dreams to the will-be victims. Corrupt
or have to fight hard to overcome their past experiences (Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2012). The victims are so brainwashed by the traffickers that even if they are caught and given an opportunity to get out, they won’t speak up because of distrust of law enforcement or government
officials that work with human traffickers is
officials (Films for the Humanities &
also a reason why they can get off easily
Sciences, 2012).
when caught and continue criminal activity (Films for the Humanities & Sciences,
Implications Due to the nature of human trafficking, there are major implications for
2012). The victims of human trafficking are ruled by fear, torture, insecurity, and sometimes mental illness, such as
why it is an issue. Human trafficking infringes on the basic rights of people and forces them through torture, coercion, and any means of creating fear to ensure that
Stockholm Syndrome (Films for the they are held in slavery. People are treated Humanities & Sciences, 2012). They feel as commodities and the criminals that run that they have no way out and lose their will the organizations are profiting off of the sale to fight back. If they do manage to escape,
of human beings. Since 2000, human
they are often addicted to drugs, suffer from
trafficking has finally been brought to the
mental illness or other disorders from the
forefront as an issue of priority and the
abuse and mental anguish of being captive,
United States and United Nations have
15 enacted legislation/programs to
As a recommendation,
deal with the issue (Films for
we need to find out not only
the Humanities & Sciences,
who these victims are but how
2012).
they were brought into the As a recommendation, I
United States. If it was by
would use sting operations by law
illegal means then we need to find the access
enforcement to continue to catch the
points and increase security or shut them
traffickers and to find victims. This takes a
down. This will also require education and
lot of man power and the officers involved
training for border patrol officers.
would need to be highly trained in how to deal with these victims. Another issue is that because human
The United States government has taken several steps to deal with the issue of human trafficking. They have implemented
trafficking is on the rise in the United States,
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in
it means that our border protection is not as
2000 and several reauthorizations of the Act
tight as we think it is. There are people
since then with changes each time. The UN
being smuggled into our country daily and women and children are being kidnapped and forced into a life of trafficking. This is
followed with the Palarmo Protocol to combat human trafficking on an international level. The Trafficking Victims
alarming because these organizations are Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 “established also involved in other illegal activities, like several methods of prosecuting traffickers, drugs and guns and if they can smuggle in humans, they can move these in large quantities as well.
preventing human trafficking, and protecting victims and survivors of trafficking� (Current Federal Laws, 2016).
16 This act classifies human trafficking as a
permanent residency (Current Federal Laws,
federal crime and establishes penalties for
2016). There have been several
committing the crime and also establishes
reauthorizations to the Act.
the option during sentencing to pay restitution to the victims (Current Federal Laws, 2016).
The strengths of the TVPA are that they provide counseling and support services to the victims of human trafficking (Current Federal Laws, 2016). They also provide longer, more severe sentences for offenders of human trafficking (Current Federal Laws, 2016). One of the
TVPA also has a preventative aspect in that the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons was established (Current Federal Laws, 2016). This office is
weaknesses/consequences of the TVPA is that traffickers are using the legislation to their advantage by invoking fear of being treated criminally if caught (Current Federal Laws, 2016).
responsible for preparing the Trafficking in The Palarmo Protocol is an initiative Persons (TIP) report annually and this report helps identify the level of effort that all nations are making to prevent and combat
by the United Nations to “prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially
human trafficking (Current Federal Laws,
women and children� (Weakley, M., 2014).
2016). Another provision of the Act is that it
There are 117 countries involved in
allows for a T-Visa for 3 years for victims
implementing and upholding the protocol
and their families to stay in the United States
and there are efforts to try to combat human
and after 3 years they are eligible for
trafficking worldwide (Weakley, M., 2014).
17 The Palarmo Protocol was enacted in 2000
and the TVPA are that the some of the
after the TVPA (Weakley, M., 2014). The
countries that are involved treat women as
Palarmo Protocol does not have anything in
less than and because of this, it makes
place to determine if countries are actually
pushing the agenda of the programs more
following the protocol or any way to
difficult (Coleman, S. S., 2016).
measure the impact of the protocol (Weakley, M, 2014).
Solution Suggestions The main solution to the problem of human trafficking is to continue to raise awareness of the problem, encourage community involvement, and continue to combat trafficking with swift and severe punishment. Especially in the United States, where people do not necessarily see human
Another weakness of the Palarmo Protocol is that if victims do not cooperate with authorities, they are treated like criminals
trafficking as “our problem�, there needs to be an increased awareness of how severe the problem is becoming in the United States and educated on how to notice the signs of a
themselves (Weakley, M., 2014). Victims are also deported when they are considered to be no longer needed with no assistance and this subjects them to be vulnerable to
case of human trafficking. I think that to raise awareness there should be mandatory training of all community officials and law enforcement officers to ensure that they can
trafficking again (Weakley, M., 2014).
recognize human trafficking situations and
Weaknesses of both the Palarmo Protocol
know how to deal with them. I also think
18 that there should be free citizen training
are so they can be more aware in those
programs offered that raise awareness of the
areas.
issues with the community and give them
I also believe that human traffickers
the information they need to be successful at
should be identified by law. There should be
helping these trafficked individuals.
a registry that identifies these people and the database should be public. This will allow communities to know who these people are and to keep an eye on them to ensure that they don’t continue the act once they are back into society. There should also be harsher penalties on human traffickers and
Our law enforcement officials should better provisions for the victims of human be provided with more training to be able to trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime know how to deal with human trafficking that is based in fear. Only by alleviating the victims and also to best notice a case of fear, will the victim come forward. This is human trafficking (Coleman, S. S., 2016). not only a law enforcement task, but a task Parts of the Reauthorization Acts of TVPA for human services. This would be a federal have added additional funding and training level program that would require local for law enforcement and this needs to implement continue. It should be mandatory that all law Conclusion enforcement personnel have continual The world still has a lot of work to training on human trafficking, how to deal do to make an impact on such issues as with it, the repercussions of it, and also human trafficking. The strives that have where the areas of known human trafficking
19 been made in recent years have been great, but there is still a lot of progress to be made. We need to increase training, awareness, resources, and support for victims. We need to continually change and create laws that deal with the issue in the United States and abroad. The need for increased legislation on human trafficking in other countries is great and we need to focus efforts on
stronger border control.
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Infographic
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Resources .Carson, S. (2016, Jan 07). NC among leaders in human trafficking. The Charlotte Post. Retrieved from http://nclive.org/cgibin/nclsm?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1758988029?. Chon, Katherine (2015). What the FY 2016 Federal Budget Could Mean for Victims of Human Trafficking. Retrevied from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2015/03/what-the-fy-2016federal-budget-could-mean-for-victims-of-human-trafficking. Coleman, S. S. (2016). The trafficking victims protection act (TVPA) 2000: A policy analysis (Order No. 10046247). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1776463392). Retrieved from http://nclive.org/cgi-bin. Current Federal Laws. https://polarisproject.org/current-federal-laws. Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm). (2012). Human Trafficking [Motion picture]. New York, N.Y. : Films Media Group. Micra FDA Approved. http://www.medtronic.com/us-en/about/news/micra-fda-approval.html. Retrieved on April 22, 2017. Parker, Alan (Director) .1988. Mississippi Burning. United States: Orion Pictures. Stevenson, B. (2013). Just mercy: A story of justice and redemption. New York: Penguin Random House. (Book Review) Weakley, M. (2014). The united states government approach to human trafficking: A question of human rights, economics, and legislation (Order No. 1526152). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1645737001). Retrieved from http://nclive.org/cgibin/nclsm?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1645737001?accountid=12713. Wireless Pacemaker Using New Technology Found Effective and Safe in Most Patients. http://news.heart.org/wireless-pacemaker-using-new-technology-found-effective-and safe-in-most-patients/.Retrieved on April 22, 2017.
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