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SOC 404/PSY 416 Human Trafficking

In this guide you will find links to information to assist you with your Human Trafficking course. Information provided includes links to related databases, encyclopedias, journals and websites. In addition, there is also helpful information on evaluating

U.S. Human Trafficking Case Law

There have been a number of federal court cases involving the issue of human trafficking: mostly with the district and circuit courts.

U.S. Laws & Legislation on Trafficking in Persons

The following Acts enable the United States to combat human trafficking both domestically and internationally. The Acts also established the Government Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (GTIP) and the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to assist with the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts. 

Tiers

Within the U.S. Department of State is the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (OMCTP). The OMCTP conducts reports on countries around the world. Within the Trafficking in Persons Reports are countries' evaluations. These evaluations are organized alphabetically and include recommendations to that specific country as well as prosecution, protection, and prevention summaries. The Trafficking in Persons Reports categorize countries by tiers. 

  • Tier 1: Countries whose governments fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards
  • Tier 2: Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards
  • Tier 2 Watch List: 
    • Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards and:
      • The absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is
      • significantly increasing; or
      • There is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year; or
      • The determination that a country is making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with minimum standards was based on commitments by the country to take additional future steps over the next year
  • Tier 3: Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so

International Human Trafficking Case Law