Criminology

Methods employed in data collection
Human trafficking is a criminal act where offenders engage in recruitment, transportation and harboring of persons, through coercion, abduction or deception with the sole aim of exploiting them. Although human trafficking is the worlds second most profitable criminal activity after drug trafficking, it is gaining a lot of popularity to become the worlds most growing criminal act (Territo and Kirkham, 2009).

In 2001, the government of the United States, through the department of justice, conducted various methods of data collection on human trafficking. These methods included interviews to 186 United States embassies and consulates, reviewed documents, and also targeted focus groups. The reports from embassies echoed the discussions with host governments, immigration executives, journalists, policemen, local NGOs as well as the victims. Some of the reviewed documents were the press, NGO and government reports. Other reports that assisted in data collection came from the International Organization for Immigration, Human Rights Watch, regional bureaus and the intelligence community (Clawson, Layne and Small, 2006). 

The following year, a team comprising of members from the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, various bureaus, Human Rights and Labor and government agencies was incorporated into the data collection activities. In addition to this, the Department of State added regional site visits to its data collection activities in 2003 and made a trafficking database that contained specific information on human trafficking (Clawson, Layne and Small, 2006).  These activities were additionally fine-tuned in the year that followed, by employment of a simulation technique to generate estimates on the prevalence of human trafficking.

According to the report from the research, the total revenue for trafficking in persons is estimated to range between  5 billion to  9 billion dollars in America with a global annual market of about 43 billion (Clawson, Layne and Small, 2006). 

According to Justin and Holcomb, there are over 18,000 foreign nationals who are trafficked to America annually. It is also estimated that over 600,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders annually (Clawson, Layne and Small, 2006). The number is increasing by the day, often being fueled by commercial gain by the perpetrators.

In addition to this, trafficking also occurs to American citizens. It is estimated that over 300,000 American children are at risk of trafficking into the sex industry annually (Clawson, Layne and Small, 2006). This number was quite insignificant some decades ago, but it is now on the rise. Currently, there are about 10,000 forced laborers in the United States of America.

How recruitment is done
Human sex traffickers target vulnerable young girls and women such as the homeless or runaways. They also target immigrants in United States of America, by placing themselves strategic positions such as airports, train stations and hotels (Harvard Law School, 2007). These criminals are usually well dressed, educated and well mannered as a disguise to make their victims feel at ease. Consequently they seduce them by offering false promises of love, protection, good education, fancy cars and exclusive nightclubs.

Result of Human Trafficking
Victims of human trafficking are destined for exploitation, usually in form of sexual harassment, forced labor and modern day slavery (Paris, 2007).Often, women after abduction are forced to have sex with dozens of men a night in the brothels, a situation that makes them become engrossed into the slave world of sex ( Kara, 2009). Modern day slavery which results from human trafficking has left more than twenty-seven million humans today, around the world in slavery, the highest concentration being in America (Bales and Soodalter, 2009).

Interventions
As a result, there a number of measures that needs to be taken to mitigate this problem. The young people especially students, should always be mindful of those whom they interact with. They are advised to get informed and enlighten others, especially immigrants, about sinister motives that are so much hidden by the traffickers first impression (March, 2010).

It is also advisable for them to join local or state anti-trafficking movements, where they will learn more on the best mechanisms to use to avoid victimization (Morehouse, 2009).These among other measures by the government, such as heavy punishment to the offenders, have been very productive in preventing human trafficking in United States and will result to its significant decline (The Crisis, 2001).