Search

This article critically interrogates the political effect of portraying drug-related organized crime in the Americas as a resilient market phenomenon. It works out how both drug demand and supply are constructed as immune to repressive policy interventions of the War on Drugs. Drug demand is seen as a pathologic consumer habit which is inelastic to price changes brought about by interdiction. Drug supply, in turn, cannot be permanently suppressed as the 'balloon effect' ensures that trafficking routes merely shift from one country to another. In this discursive framework, policy making is consigned to perpetual adaption rather than purposive social transformation. In consequence, the political horizon of international policy making is limited to living with danger. This discursive move is facilitated by the resilience approach which consigns human communities to coping with threats and upheavals they can no longer have any hope of overcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the introduction to the special issue on 'human trafficking, sexual exploitation and digital technologies'. This special issue contributes to the knowledge base by bringing together four articles that focus on the use of online platforms by human traffickers for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. In doing so, this special issue explores the affordances of online platforms to human traffickers, the challenges faced by law enforcement and other actors seeking to intervene in human trafficking in the digital age, and perhaps pathways towards overcoming these challenges in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking is one type of human trafficking, which involves scenarios where individuals are not paid and are forced to engage in forced sex, forced prostitution, and sexual slavery. Online advertising is increasingly used by traffickers as an anonymous and efficient method to exploit victims. Large sporting events have been linked to increases in sex trafficking, although there is limited empirical evidence to support this claim. The goal of this study is to answer the following question: What is the relationship between Super Bowls and potential online sex trafficking? Using time series Poisson analysis of secondary data on online sexual service advertisements in Florida during the 2020 and 2021 Super Bowls, which took place in Miami and Tampa, Florida, respectively, the result indicates an increase in online advertisements that exhibit indicators of sex trafficking during the two Super Bowls. The paper concludes by providing recommendations for federal, state, and local law enforcement for improving sex trafficking responses during large sporting events and outlines a future research agenda on the relationship between large sporting events and sex trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thinking about organised crime as an ecosystem is not only novel but also offers much potential to add to the theoretical and policy-based literature in this area. While organised crime is often analysed as relationships between criminal groups and consumers of illicit goods/services, little work has analysed specific forms of organised crime activities as ecosystems where different constituent parts are dependent upon each other for the crime activity to occur. This paper analyses the organisation of sexual exploitation by entrepreneurial organised crime groups selling sex in the United Kingdom. Based upon 30 interviews with 23 law enforcement forces in England and Wales and five interviews with Adult Service Website Operators; it identifies how an ecosystem is built that ensures (a) profit generation and (b) avoidance of legal prosecution. Our analysis not only illustrates how a market 'supply' and 'demand' ecosystem is generated through mutually convenient 'organiser', 'marketer' and 'buyer' relationships, but also how the roles of these actors ensure sexual exploitation continues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies the presence of human trafficking indicators in a UK-based sample of sex workers who advertise their services online. To this end, we developed a crawling and scraping software that enabled the collection of information from 17, 362 advertisements for female sex workers posted on the largest dedicated platform for sex work services in the UK. We then established a set of 10 indicators of human trafficking and a transparent and replicable methodology through which to detect their presence in our sample. Most of the advertisements (58.3%) contained only one indicator, while 3,694 of the advertisements (21.3%) presented 2 indicators of human trafficking. Only 1.7% of the advertisements reported three or more indicators, while there were no advertisements that featured more than four. 3, 255 advertisements (19.0%) did not contain any indicators of human trafficking. Based on this analysis, we propose that this approach constitutes an effective screening process for quickly identifying suspicious cases, which can then be examined by more comprehensive and accurate tools to identify if human trafficking is occurring. We conclude by calling for more empirical research into human trafficking indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and modern slavery have experienced an unprecedented boom over the past decade due to the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly in digital and networked environments. These developments have created new opportunities for human exploitation and illegal profiteering. Adult Services Websites (ASWs), online platforms on which sex workers post profiles advertising their services, are a key conduit for human traffickers to exploit their victims. Alongside profiles of independent sex workers, traffickers are posting false ASW profiles, advertising the forced services of their victims and camouflaging these false profiles amongst legitimate adverts. In response, police practitioners are proactively investigating ASWs to identify suspect profiles. A key obstacle for practitioners, however, is to distinguish between ASW profiles posted by independent, consenting sex workers advertising their services, and those posted by traffickers exploiting their victims. The exploratory study presented in this paper seeks to address this particular challenge. Working with a British police force, the researchers in this study gathered existing knowledge on the traffickers' use of ASW profiles to create a bespoke tool of analysis, the Sexual Trafficking Identification Matrix (STIM). The aim of this tool has been to identify 'risk indicators' on ASW profiles and to flag these for potential police investigation. This paper presents the results of this exploratory study and its four stages. Furthermore, more broadly, it reflects on the use of evidence-based tools by law enforcement to tackle complex domains of offending such as those of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a comprehensive list of over 350 English-language publications from 2022 that cover various aspects of organized crime and related topics. The publications were identified through a systematic review of peer-reviewed journals, Google Scholar, and Google Books. The list includes books and journal articles that explore topics such as human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism, and the relationship between organized crime and other illicit activities. The articles provide valuable insights for researchers and policymakers interested in understanding and addressing organized crime. This collection of articles and books offers a diverse range of perspectives and approaches, making it a valuable resource for researchers and scholars interested in these topics. [Extracted from the article]

This article features an interview with Professor Etannibi Alemika, a renowned criminologist in West Africa, discussing organized crime in the region. Organized crime was not widely recognized in Nigeria until the 1980s, primarily due to the international drug trade. Today, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime are the most prevalent forms of organized crime in West Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly impact these activities, but evolving technologies have influenced their nature. The concept of organized crime has shed light on the severity of certain crimes and their implications for the economy and society in West Africa. However, individual crimes are still more commonly addressed than the concept of organized crime itself. Corruption is also a transnational crime in Africa, with corrupt officials often laundering money in other countries. The article explores the issue of organized crime in Africa, particularly focusing on corruption and its impact on poverty, unemployment, and other forms of organized crime such as human trafficking and drug trafficking. It highlights the lack of attention given to corruption as organized crime by external sponsors and emphasizes the need for African policymakers to prioritize the financial sector. The article also stresses the importance of understanding local perspectives and distinguishing between subsistence livelihood activities and organized crime. It suggests that evidence-based policy approaches should incorporate economic and social policies to discourage people from engaging in illicit activities. Additionally, it suggests that regional approaches may be beneficial depending on the specific market and destination of illicit products. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this paper is to further understanding on the ethical and conceptual challenges associated with researching human trafficking in Edo state, Nigeria. The contribution addresses perceptions of these phenomena among some local actors in the state. Based on five years' research on human trafficking from Nigeria to Europe, this paper puts into perspective local perceptions, and some dynamics of data collection. Also considered here are ethical challenges bordering on trust and suspicion of the researcher's intent, informed consent and suspicion of researcher's motive especially those linked to funding. The paper concludes by recommending ways of navigating as well as overcoming the associated challenges in researching human trafficking in Edo state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst traditionally, the study of the illegal wildlife trade has been focused on species that consider the role of the Western world as a consumer or transit hub, the study of the illegal trade in European eels is a landmark opportunity to deem the role of Europe as a source area for wildlife trafficking. Based on a qualitative methods research design, this case study delves into the nature of the illegal trade in European eels. In the context of globalization, a global eel market developed at the same time as stocks decreased sharply. The process of criminalization of the trade and fishing of eels, in combination with criminogenic asymmetries, has been facilitating opportunities for crime groups. In the legal-illegal continuum, upper- and underworld actors interact along the chain from rivers to worldwide consumers. This constant interaction fuels the illegal trade by providing the underworld with vital elements for its continuity, such as protection, finance, or laundering. In particular, this research focusses on the different legal-illegal interactions by looking at outsourcing, funding and complex symbiotic-antithetical relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trends in Organized Crime 24(1):42-69 Ingrasci O (2021) Gender and Organized Crime in Italy: Women's Agency in Italian Mafias. This is a list of over 250 English-language publications on organized crime and related topics from the year 2021. Pertinent publications were identified through searches in various databases, including I Google Scholar i and I Google Books i , using various search terms, namely "organized crime", "criminal network", "mafia", "trafficking", and "smuggling." J Illicit Economies Dev 3(2):160-166 Albanese JS (2021) Organized Crime as Financial Crime: The Nature of Organized Crime as Reflected in Prosecutions and Research. [Extracted from the article]

In the early hours of October 23rd, 2019, 39 people were found dead in a refrigerated lorry in Grays, Essex, UK. This case attracted media interest across the world; in the 48-h period after the story broke, reporting on this discovery extended to newspapers not just in the UK, but also across Europe. This study uses elements of Critical Stylistics (Jeffries 2010) to analyse and compare first response articles published by European dailies in relation to the event at Grays, to address the nature of this reporting. We found that linguistic choices tend to dramatise what happened, criminalise victims, and even presume the driver's innocence, with the international criminal network he is presupposed to be part of remaining only speculated on. Though there are attempts to distribute some accountability to governments and policies, as well as structural systemic factors such as war and poverty, responsibility for these factors tends to be diffused, and hence unallocated, this helping ultimately justify draconic law enforcement and border security policies. By highlighting linguistic trends and underlying ideologies which we in turn question, we address the need to tend to the structural causes of such transnational people movement-related crime (i.e. trafficking and smuggling) and shift accountability to governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is for an article titled "Exploring the relationship between super bowls and potential online sex trafficking" published in Trends in Organized Crime. The authors have identified mistakes in the original article and provided corrections. The corrections include replacing "XXX" with "DeliverFund" in the methodology section and inserting an acknowledgement for DeliverFund's data sharing. The original article has been corrected. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral in terms of jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Xi Huang, Brianna R. Yoder, Alexis Tsoukalas, Rebecca M. Entress, and Abdul-Akeem Sadiq. [Extracted from the article]

This report provides a summary of Operation LAKE, a long-term effort to dismantle organized criminal groups involved in the illegal trade of European eels. The trade of European eels is strictly regulated, but it still generates billions of euros in profits annually, making it the largest wildlife crime globally. Operation LAKE has seen success in terms of increased participation, arrests, and seizures of eels, thanks to advancements in knowledge, cooperation, technology, and stricter laws. However, challenges remain, including evolving tactics of smugglers and information gaps. The report suggests recommendations such as enhancing international information sharing, improving communication with specific regions, investing in capacity building for law enforcement agencies, and increasing inspections along smuggling routes. International cooperation and standardized information exchange are emphasized as crucial. [Extracted from the article]

While the preponderance of delineation, exploration, and analysis of human trafficking concentrates on the victimization of trafficked people, the offenders' criminal partaking is often left unexplored. That said, this study aims to examine the conundrum of human trafficking by exploring the traffickers' demographics, tactics, connections, and collaborations. In order to accomplish this, data are drawn from the content analysis of 102 police interviews (Cyprus Police) with victims of trafficking and the study of police files of 18 persons convicted for human trafficking and sexual exploitation. In short (and contrary to widely held beliefs), the findings point out that human trafficking in Cyprus is not premised on well-established criminal syndicates with deep roots and solid networking, nor is dominated by cruel tactics actuated by meticulous crooks, linked to corrupt officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is an increasing field of academic research, but the obstacles of investigation and prosecution of traffickers is still under-researched. This article analyses the challenges of prosecution of criminal groups facilitating the prostitution of Hungarian women to Western European countries by focusing on international cooperation of law enforcement agencies. Although the scientific literature mostly focuses on the influence of international agreements on national level policing, based on a multilevel analysis, the current article scrutinizes the organizational and individual dimensions in transnational policing and the implementation of the anti-trafficking measures in practice. Despite the aims of the global prohibition regime, victim-focus approach in human trafficking remains neglected by large in the Hungarian practice. The article is based on structured interviews with members of law enforcement agencies, observation of court trials, legal documents and secondary written sources on the investigation of organized crime in Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative inquiry examines human trafficker identities through stories from convicted offenders. Thematic findings suggest that the projected-identity of sex traffickers may be different from their true self-identity. Identity regulation to produce the appropriate individual by situation facilitates both improvisational and patterned methods of victim recruitment. Sex traffickers exercise their coercive power predominately through the use of deception and fraud, projecting themselves as "honest heroes" and "lovers" of their victims. Rather than using force to perpetually repress victims, sex traffickers more frequently gain compliance by building a trauma bond with their victims, who are also typically found at the margins of society. Recruitment into a commercial sexually exploitive victimization involves the perceived fulfillment of physiological and emotional needs, as well as strategic infusion of counterculture virtues. For tenured sex traffickers, force is normally only intermittently exercised to punish recalcitrant victims in a way that maintains the longevity of control through trauma bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite considerable concern about how human trafficking offenders may use the Internet to recruit their victims, arrange logistics or advertise services, the Internet-trafficking nexus remains unclear. This study explored the prevalence and correlates of a set of commonly-used indicators of labour trafficking in online job advertisements. Taking a case study approach, we focused on a major Lithuanian website aimed at people seeking work abroad. We examined a snapshot of job advertisements (n = 430), assessing both their general characteristics (e.g. industry, destination country) and the presence of trafficking indicators. The vast majority (98.4%) contained at least one indicator, suggesting certain "indicators" may in fact be commonplace characteristics of this labour market. Inferential statistical tests revealed significant but weak relationships between the advertisements' characteristics and the number and nature of indicators present. While there may be value in screening job advertisements to identify potential labour trafficking and exploitation, additional information is needed to ascertain actual labour trafficking. We conclude with an outlook on automated approaches to identifying cases of possible trafficking and a discussion of the benefits and ethical concerns of a data science-driven approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is increasingly drawing international attention and coastal states strengthen their efforts to address it as a matter of priority due to its severe implications for food, economic, environmental and social security. As the largest archipelagic country in the world, this is especially problematic for Indonesia. In this already complex geographical and security environment, the authors test the hypothesis that IUU fishing and fisheries crime(s) classify as transnational organized criminal activities. The article argues that IUU fishing is much more than simply a fisheries management issue, since it goes hand in hand with fisheries crime. As a result, although the two concepts are quite distinct, they are so closely interlinked and interrelated throughout the entire value chain of marine fisheries, that they can only be managed effectively collectively by understanding them both within the framework of transnational organized crime. To make this argument, the research utilizes qualitative and quantitative data collected from approximately two thousand trafficked fishers, rescued in 2015 from slavery conditions while stranded in two remote Indonesian locations: Benjina on Aru island and on Ambon island. The article's findings also unveil new trends relating to the inner workings of the illegal fishing industry, in four different, yet interlinked categories: recruitment patterns and target groups; document forgery; forced labor and abuse; and fisheries violations. The paper concludes by confirming the hypothesis and highlights that IUU fishing provides the ideal (illegal) environment for fisheries crimes and other forms of transnational organized crimes to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the adoption of the UN Trafficking Protocol in 2000, the predominant approach to combat human trafficking has been based on the criminalization of traffickers in conjunction with a concern for victims’ protection. However, few empirical studies considered the effectiveness of those measures, which makes it difficult to understand why criminal cases of human trafficking generally result in few convictions. In Portugal, recent legislative changes have made the legal framework on human trafficking more comprehensive, inclusive and convergent with European directives. The effects of the implementation of those legislative changes on investigation and prosecution are still overlooked. The present study analyses the discourses of justice system professionals that concern the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking. It examines and identifies the factors that, in their perspective, block the recognition of the typifying elements of the crime of human trafficking and create obstacles to the prosecution and conviction of those crimes. Our findings suggest that legislative advances recognized by the participants need to be accompanied by other changes, some of a more systemic nature and others that are more specific. An efficient criminal procedure should include better legal phrasing of the means of evidence of human trafficking that is supported by objective instruments for this to be considered valid; the centralization of proof that the testimony of the victim has to overcome; specialized professional training of an ongoing nature; an efficient cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies at the national and international levels, with public prosecution services and magistrates; a greater clarification of the condition of the special vulnerability of victims and an informed perspective regarding the global nature of the phenomenon of human trafficking, one that is also sensitive towards the victim (e.g., in relation to the victims’ vulnerability, illegal status, and their difficulties in terms of social and cultural integration). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst studies refer to the community impact of Organized Crime (OC), no survey currently exists to examine the views of those citizens who reside in areas where Organized Crime Groups (OCGs) proliferate. 431 questionnaires from households co-existing in high density OCGs areas were analysed in relation to: a) demographic information; b) views on the community and the police; and c) how they expected other residents to react to illegal incidents. Overall respondents thought the average citizen would refuse to intervene in 10% - 48% of illegal incidents, with the specific case influencing whether and how they would respond. The analysis then compared three communities who lived in high density OCG areas with a control community (n = 343). The ‘OCG’ communities were more likely to report low collective efficacy and were generally least likely to expect their neighbours to confront a crime in action. Conversely, whilst the control group showed higher levels of collective efficacy and expected the average resident to be more likely in confronting illegal behaviour, this trend did not extend to street drug dealing and serious crime associated with OC. The study discusses the unreported intimidation associated with OCGs and the challenges of policing hostile environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of publications on organized crime and related issues during October 2016-March 2017, on topics including cannabis cultivation in Spain, cigarette tax avoidance and evasion, and human trafficking in American prisons.

Human trafficking has been identified as a growing concern across the globe, however, little is known regarding the attitudes of criminal justice actors, notably prosecutors. To address this gap, prosecutors from Bosnia and Herzegovina were surveyed to gain an understanding of their experiences and attitudes related to sex trafficking. Findings suggest that over half of the prosecutors surveyed had worked with sex trafficking victims. Results also indicate a small portion of prosecutors held punitive attitudes for victims, but a significant majority held them for traffickers and customers. In addition to the presentation of findings related to training and knowledge held by prosecutors, limitations and implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organized crime scholars have paid scant attention to gender and stereotyped roles of women in the commission of organized crime activities. Traditionally, organized crime is seen as a form of criminality perpetrated by men only. Women are usually portrayed as victims of organized crime or as 'mean girls', girlfriends, wives, lovers of brides of notorious gangsters and mobsters. In the southern African context, little historical or comparative data is available on the role of women in organized crime. Existing data is basic and proceeds on the assumption of gender-neutrality or the implied male composition of organized crime groups. The link of women to organized crime is one of suffering and exploitation. However, in reality women fulfill varied roles and functions within transnational organized crime networks in the region. In some instances, they are the foot soldiers of drug and human trafficking syndicates. Sometimes they are the intermediaries or powerful matriarchs at the apex of transnational organized crime networks. Reliant on empirical findings undertaken for a regional 3-year project on organized crime trends in southern Africa, this paper will examine the dynamism of the role of women in organized crime in the region and argues that women play a multifaceted role with implications for themselves, their families, society and organized crime. Gender mainstreaming within scholarly literature and policy research is in nascent stages, this paper pleads for a more gender-sensitive approach to organized crime analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics involving women in transnational organized crime markets including human and drug trafficking in the socio-cultural space.

This article applies social network analysis to a case study to analyze the role of madams in an Nigerian sex trafficking network. Using relational data on telephone conversations, the main centrality measures are calculated. They are interrelated with the roles of all the members of the network. The analysis confirms the importance of madams already highlighted by many academics, but surprisingly it also shows that not all madams are equally central in terms of their brokerage positions. Indeed, two different groups of madams are identified according to their betweenness centrality, which is the measure that best reveals the strategic positioning of the nodes within a network. The content analysis and description of the madams' ego networks demonstrate that the main requirements for occupying a brokerage role are (i) being able to operate also outside Italian borders, and (ii) being at the same time part of relational systems involving 'transnational' people whose action extends beyond national borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trafficking in children has attracted worldwide attention in the last two decades primarily due to its links with global migratory movements and the role 'transnational organised crime' is perceived to play in these. Internal trafficking is largely ignored primarily because of a preoccupation with cross-border, transnational migratory movements. Arguably, the growth of the relevant literature has given rise to certain widespread perceptions about the uniformity in the trade characteristics and actors under the common rubric of 'trafficking in human beings'. By capitalising on direct linguistic access to a wide range of Chinese open sources, the purpose of the article is to offer an account of the various dimensions of the issue as they present themselves in the particular Chinese context. Our main concern has been to perform a systematic presentation of this material in light of the extant wider literature. In the Chinese case the combination of socioeconomic, political and cultural factors set a complex picture that highlights the shortcomings of dominant ways of thinking about the phenomenon. This complex picture serves usefully to cast doubts with regard to how the criminal activity itself is being conceptualised as well as to perceptions of victimisation embodied in current discourses on human trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the role of crime displacement within organized crime, taking the Dutch synthetic drugs market as a case study. Since the late 1990s, the policy of the Dutch government has focused on raising barriers to synthetic drugs producers in obtaining precursors and other essential chemicals. The reason is simple. Without these chemicals there would be no synthetic drugs. Over the years, this policy has resulted in a scarcity of the main ingredients for synthetic drugs. But how have criminal organizations responded to this scarcity? Can displacement effects be identified and can they be attributed to specific prevention measures? The answer is a partial yes. Yes, crime displacement can be identified in organized crime. However, measuring the precise effects remains complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An excerpt from the report "The Nature and Extent of Human Trafficking in Northern Ireland: A Scoping Study," by Agnieszka Martynowicz is presented.

Exploitation of women in the sex industry is the best known but probably not the most common outcome of trafficking in human beings. Still, trafficking for labour exploitation gets less attention from policy makers, the police and researchers. The legal framework allows dealing with trafficking for labour exploitation, but the prosecution of such cases is still in its infancy. In this contribution we focus on labour exploitation. We first present the legal framework. Then we go into the lack of knowledge in this area, followed by what we do know about risk sectors, victims, and what makes them vulnerable for exploitation. Focussing on the Netherlands, we describe the perpetrators and the difficulties in investigating and prosecuting trafficing cases in general and labour exploitation in particular, rounding off with some general conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Often the criminal activities, especially organized criminal groups are aimed at generating large amounts of money in a short period of time. However, the criminal organizations differ in their approach to revenue management. This article focuses on the management of proceeds acquired from human trafficking and presents the results of an empirical study on the topic. This study is based on 152 semi-structured interviews conducted with sex workers, traffickers, law-enforcement representatives, and prosecutors. The article explores the movement of money within the criminal organizations, the methods of bookkeeping and accounting, and the basic techniques for laundering the proceeds acquired from sex trafficking from Bulgaria to Western Europe. By describing how the criminals engaged in human trafficking for sexual exploitation manage the money generated from this type of criminal activity, a better understanding of the criminal phenomenon itself can be attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on several studies, the aim of the article is to compare trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation to trafficking in drugs. Women are recruited and drugs are bought in other countries and transported to Sweden. What are the similarities and differences between the recruitment phase (women) and the purchases (drugs)? Both sexual services and drugs are sold in local markets. This requires marketing, contacts and access to customers. Women need accommodation and often a place to sell the services, drugs must be stored somewhere and prepared for sale. Procurement, trafficking and the purchase of sexual services are illegal and in the case of drugs even consumption and possession for personal use is illegal and prosecuted. Facilitators often play an important role in connecting customers and providers. This article will further describe what kind of organizational structure is needed to arrange these logistics and some different strategies used by organizers and distributors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important precondition for improving the prosecution of offences relating to human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the promotion of victims' willingness to make a witness statement. In a qualitative study, 'Determinants of the willingness to make a statement of victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation pursuant to section 232 of the Penal Code', carried out in 2008/09 in Germany by the Institute for Social Research on Women (Sozialwissenschaftliches FrauenForschungsInstitut) in Freiburg on behalf of the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Germany, 53 victims were interviewed. From a social science perspective, factors were identified which are of subjective relevance for the victims, influencing their willingness to cooperate with the police and to testify against traffickers in court. The factors were related to offender strategies (e. g. violence, deception), to police action (e. g. checks, interrogations) or to the person of the victim herself (e.g. residence status, migration goals, language, attitude towards prostitution). After a description of these single factors by means of qualitative content analysis in two further steps the analysis focused rather more on the context of the situation as a triangle of trafficker, police and victim as the main actors. In a second step, the willingness to make a statement could be related to the specific co-action especially of pressure from trafficker or pimp not to make a statement and action on the side of the police. This specific co-action depends on whether the victims have or do not have a legal residence status. Third, as a key for a better understanding how the situation on a more general level is subjectively perceived by the victim in terms of power relations, this context of interaction was reconstructed by hermeneutic conversation analysis, putting attention to the semantic construction of agency and power. The willingness to make a statement can be seen as result e.g. from the construction of an 'almighty' trafficker and a police that is helpless to fight trafficking and to create a sense of security. For the last two steps the 'shared space of action' (Voβ) is introduced as a theoretical framework to conceptualize the emergence of the willingness to make a statement from the interaction of pressures against and in favour of a witness statement and as a 'coproduction' of three (and possibly more, including lawyers, staff of counseling services and shelters, new partners etc.) interacting actors. This leads to conclusions, how the willingness to make a statement can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of human trafficking has recently received a lot of attention from society and the world of politics. The criminal-law approach to human trafficking has also been placed high on the agenda of law enforcers. Human trafficking is, however, a complex crime with several specific characteristics. For example, there is often a complex relationship between victims and perpetrators of human trafficking and victims are often too afraid to file a report. How do the police and the judicial authorities work in the investigation of human trafficking in view of the specific characteristics of human trafficking? What choices are made in practice and what different police investigative strategies can be distinguished? What opportunities and risks are inherent in the choices made? In this article we answer these questions on the basis of four large scale police investigations into human trafficking that we studied closely. The four criminal cases all focused on violent groups of human traffickers that operated in the Amsterdam window prostitution. All criminal cases have since been concluded (in first instance). It turned out that in each of the four investigations the relevant police team applied a different investigative strategy: one investigation focused primarily on the victim statements, one investigation focused on public nuisance, one investigation focused on the evidence against the criminal organisation and one investigation focused on the offences (evidence concerning the exploitation of prostitutes). In this article we compare the four strategies applied and consider the consequences of each strategy for the course of the investigation and the criminal prosecution and what dilemma's are faced in each strategy. Although the various investigations cannot be easily compared and a uniform 'best' strategy cannot be designated, the comparison does show that some choices or decisions entail great opportunities or great risks as regards the successful investigation and prosecution of human trafficking. It concerns, for example, the choice of involving local investigative services (district police) or the choice for short-term or, as the case may be, longer-running investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An excerpt from the report "Trafficking in Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean" released by the U.S. Congressional Research Service is presented.

An excerpt from the report "Trafficking in Persons & Transit Countries: A Canada-U.S. Case Study in Global Perspective," by Benjamin Perrin is presented.

An excerpt from a report on the situation of human trafficking in the U.S. released by the Congressional Research Service in 2010 is presented.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue, including the character of human trafficking, victims of human trafficking and the investigation of human trafficking cases.

An excerpt from the 2010 report "The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment" from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is presented.