Description
This project will allow you to do some research to learn about laws and programs in different places, and dig deeper into your area of interest/expertise to help expand your knowledge. My hope is that this is interesting and informative, and you will learn something that may help you in your own work in the future. The subject of human trafficking may seem very far away from us, but through this course you will see it is, unfortunately, very prevalent, and there are things we can do in our own little part of the world to make a difference.
RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION
You are an expert in your state in one of the following areas: Health Care, Law Enforcement or Social Services. The Governor of your state has asked that you advise him regarding the human trafficking laws, policies and practices in your state, and whether changes should be made in your state.
1. Human Trafficking Laws in the State of ______________: Choose any state (it does not have to be where you reside). Research the Human Trafficking Laws in the state. Give a comprehensive overview of the laws.
When you research the state’s human trafficking laws, there are a lot of resources you can use. To get you started, there are two very good resources to use. One is the Polaris Project site, which did a four-year review of laws in the U.S. ending in 2014. The site is posted HERE, There have certainly been updates since 2014, but the resource is a good place to start. It will help you gather information on the laws such as the following: sex trafficking laws, labor laws, potential sentences for individuals convicted, how they address issues of victims of trafficking who committed crimes during their time being trafficked, whether there are lower burdens of proof for cases involving the sex trafficking of children, if they have statutes that require training for professionals who work in the criminal justice field regarding human trafficking, if they have statutes that require a task force in the state to address human trafficking, if the state has a statute that mandates there be a human trafficking hotline, if the state is a Safe Harbor that protects minors, if the state has a law that permits minors to sue for civil damages against their traffickers, for minors, and whether they vacate convictions for sex trafficking victims.
Another very good resource that may assist you in the Shared Hope website posted HERE. The Report Cards for each state have very good information in them that summarize the laws in main topics of concern.
2. Are the Laws Strong Enough?: Explore whether the laws, as they currently exist in the state, are strong enough. Has the state taken steps to improve the laws over the past decade? If so, how? Does it appear to be making a difference in the state and helping to reduce the problem of human trafficking in your state? Explain your answer using evidence found through research.
3. Should the Laws be Changed? Find statistics on the number of incidents reported in the State. Given the severity level of the laws, are you surprised by these numbers? If so, would you expect them to be higher or lower? Why? Explain your response. How would you recommend the laws be changed in this state to reduce the incidents of human trafficking and better serve victims of trafficking? Explain your responses in a substantive manner in this section.
4. Learning from Other States: The Governor would like you to find another state in the U.S. that is doing a great job fighting human trafficking. They could have an impressive non-profit that is working well with crime victims, or it could be a special court program aimed at serving the needs of human trafficking victims, or mandatory training for health care workers who are doing a great job identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking. Report to the Governor on something you believe could work well in your state.
5. Learning from Other Countries: Similar to question 4, the Governor wants you to find another country that is doing something really great that seems to be working in helping to fight human trafficking, and make an argument that your state should adopt it as it could help efforts to mitigate human trafficking in your state, too.
6. Focusing on Health Care, Law Enforcement or Social Services: As an expert in one of these fields, the Governor of this state wants your expert opinion on how professionals in your field can best work to identify and assist victims of human trafficking, and help prevent future incidents of trafficking. As part of this answer, include at least 5 things that all professionals in your field should be doing as part of “best practices” to help victims of human trafficking and reduce incidents of human trafficking in your state.
PowerPoint Presentation Information:
In lieu of writing a comprehensive paper in this course, I want you to do a PowerPoint instead – something you will be able to post in a Discussion Board at the end of the course. There are so many interesting laws around the U.S. and the world, this will be a way for you to share your research with others and learn from each other. With some of the slides, you will need to write paragraphs. For others, you may be able to present your information in bullet form. You can decide what is best, but make sure that you substantively answer each question in whatever way you choose to present the information. Here are some requirements for the presentation:
The PowerPoint Presentation must be 15-20 slides.
Use APA 7 format throughout.
Include headings throughout on the slides when you address the main 6 points above. In addition, include an Introduction slide with a heading, and a Conclusion slide with a heading.
The 6 main points should be presented in the order they are outlined above.
Include a Title slide and a Reference slide.
Include an Introduction slide and a Conclusion slide.
Use at least 6 sources for the presentation. Two (2) of your sources should be a scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles.
For the scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles, you can use them when addressing any of the 6 main points in the presentation outlined above. Each should be presented on a separate slide in logical order as you connect it to the subject being addressed. For instance, if you use it in addressing point 3 above, then include it after your first slide where you address point 3, but before the slide where you present point 4. At the top of the first slide where you give a summary of a journal article, the heading should be Journal Article I. At the top of the second, it should be Journal Article II. On those slides, give a summary of the article and explain the main points, connect the material to your response in a logical manner that supports your position, and cite your source.
Do not use Wikipedia as a source.
Do not include more than 2 quotes throughout your presentation. The quotes should not be more than 3 sentences long. I want to read your original writing and that is why I limit the number of quotes.
Follow the deadline. Late presentations will not be accepted.
See the Grading Rubric for the Research Project posted in this module for more information DO NOT USE GAMMARLY OR CHAT PHI
