Prosecutors Meet at Columbia Law School to Discuss How to Combat Human Trafficking
Prosecutors Meet at Columbia Law School to Discuss How to Combat Human Trafficking
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New York, June 22, 2011--The National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School recently hosted 20 international prosecutors for a forum on human trafficking, which victimizes millions of people across the globe every year.
The forum was hosted in conjunction with the National Attorneys General Training & Research Institute (NAGTRI).
The State Department estimates 800,000 people are trafficked across borders into forced labor and prostitution every year, while 1 million children are involved in the global sex trade. Other government figures indicate as many as 17,500 persons may be trafficked into the U.S. annually.
“The goal of this program is to respond to the shrinking world that we have in which cross-border relationships in the law enforcement arena are becoming increasingly important,” said NAGTRI Director Chris Toth in a podcast with Program Director James E. Tierney. “We’re building
relationships; we’re bringing people together to collaborate on a common problem.”
relationships; we’re bringing people together to collaborate on a common problem.”
National Association of Attorneys General President-elect Rob McKenna, the attorney general of Washington, is expected to announce a nationwide initiative Thursday among attorneys general offices to combat human trafficking.
Tierney is slated to be present for the announcement, along with Attorneys General Program Lead Counsel Cindy Lott and Senior Counsel Shelley Mayer, which will be made at the group’s summer meeting in Chicago.
“Thousands of these victims are being trafficked in the U.S.,” Tierney said. “I can’t think of an issue that matters more. Attorneys general can play a big role in ensuring this pipeline of misery is shut down.”
Tierney moderated a panel on June 10 that delved into the challenges in combating human trafficking. Panelists emphasized the need for better communications between nongovernmental organizations and prosecutors in supporting victims, a concern echoed in remarks by Anne Milgram, a former New Jersey attorney general.
Milgram discussed with Tierney the inherent difficulties in cooperating among nations and states with disparate human trafficking laws. “For this to be done effectively, the federal government and the state and local law enforcement need to be at the table together,” she said.
Those at the forum were adamant that increased education and awareness of the threats posed by human trafficking were especially crucial in preventing it, and discussed ways to overcome
international cultural differences in order to establish universal, cooperative best practices.
Attendees at the event included prosecutors from the U.S. as well as Canada, Bosnia, Iraq, and a number of other countries.
international cultural differences in order to establish universal, cooperative best practices.
Attendees at the event included prosecutors from the U.S. as well as Canada, Bosnia, Iraq, and a number of other countries.
To listen to podcasts Tierney conducted with Toth and Milgram, go to http://www.law.columbia.edu/center_program/ag/AGs_About/updates#62211.
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