Globalization

Globalization

Levenda James

Union Institute

Strategic Analysis and Operations in a Global Economy

LDR509

Joseph E. Nolan, PhD.

June 12, 2016

Globalization

     There are various types of crimes that can be seen in all socio-economic classes, races, and communities globally.  These crimes are burglary, illicit drug sales and use, robbery, murder, domestic violence, sexual assaults, human trafficking, and the list goes on.  Human trafficking happens to be one of the largest and most profitable crimes that are affecting communities worldwide. Trafficking and slavery poses a serious threat to the normal development of various ranges of the social body, causing concern of the world community. Human trafficking from the point of view of international law means:

 “The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of 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 receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.” (Aronowitz, 2013, p. 1).

This issue normally manifests itself in bringing back people from poor countries to other countries to perform various tasks, including sexual exploitation, forced to work or provide different services, forced prostitution, slavery or slave-like working conditions. The nature of this is based on the use of illegal means, including the use of force or threat of use of force or other means, such as coercion, of abduction, of fraud or scams.  It suggested that human trafficking is one of the largest international crimes with profits in the billions and victims estimated to be in the millions.

Human trafficking is not isolated to just one group of people or even one country.  It is an international issue with global impact.  Human trafficking affects almost every country in the world.  Whether the country is a starting point, transition point, of final destination each country is affected in some way, shape, or form.  According to a study performed by the International Labor Organization they estimated that there are about 2.4 million victims of human trafficking worldwide.  Women accounted for two-thirds of the victims of trafficking worldwide.  According to website Not for Sale: End Human Trafficking and Slavery, they have estimated that there are actually over 30 million individuals to date.  The vast majority of these victims are young women and children, who are raped, beaten, held hostage, threatened with and subjected to violence, along with the withholding or suppression of the ability to enjoy basic human rights as others experience them.  

As many of us sit and watch the nightly news there is not a day that goes by that there is not some type of crime, such as human trafficking, is not highlighted and one of the questions that is always asked is where were the people that were supposed to be protecting us, our community, and the world?  In today’s environment it is not an easy task to provide the essentials that are needed for today’s global communities.  It is a monumental task that many police agencies have failed to achieve.  According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory “people are motivated to achieve certain needs.  When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfill the next one, and so on” (McLeod, 2007, p. 4).  One of the most basic needs is that of safety.  Safety is defined as the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss (“Safety“, n.d.).  

The role of law enforcement in society is that of maintaining the safety and welfare of the communities that they serve. Every community has its individual concerns and issues.  In each state, no matter where you go within the United States, there are various communities that have a populous of people of different cultures.  Within these various communities, there are different issues that have to be addressed in order for people to feel safe and secure in where they are living.  These issues are not just within inner city communities but countrywide.  Every community is constantly changing.  Because of immigration and ever changing cultural demographics it is almost difficult to determine a norm of community behavior.   Multicultural neighborhoods are now the norm for many of the communities in today’s societies.  This also brought with it another set of issues that caused tensions and crime, which was based, in ethnic or racial undertones.  Many people feel that they have no voice and that law enforcement does not care to address or fix their concerns and problems.  Law enforcement has in a sense completely disengaged itself from the communities they serve.  It is almost as if the people in the communities feel that it’s “law enforcement versus us”.  This attitude has caused the most problems for maintaining an appropriate level of security and safety within many of America’s communities and mine.