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Northern Essex Community College

Module 14 Prep Activity

Review the activity overview, learning objectives, directions, and submission expectations before submitting your work.

Overview

This activity is designed to help you understand human trafficking as a serious and complex form of organized crime. You will begin by defining human trafficking and examining its key characteristics. The activity then asks you to explore the role organized crime plays in facilitating and sustaining human trafficking networks, with particular attention to the northeastern United States. By examining the scope and financial scale of organized human trafficking, you will gain insight into why this crime is difficult to combat and highly profitable. The goal is to strengthen your understanding of human trafficking as both a criminal justice and social problem with regional, national, and economic dimensions.

Learning Objectives

(These objectives support the prep activity and are not the questions to be answered.)

  • LO1: Define human trafficking and describe the United States’ legal and criminal justice responses to investigating and curbing this criminal activity. (SLO1)
  • LO2: Explain the various cross-agency approaches in gathering and disseminating of organized crime. (SLO6)
Prep Topic

After completing this week’s assigned readings, prepare to participate in an in-class discussion examining the relationship between organized crime and human trafficking.

Before coming to class, prepare a bulleted list (not full paragraphs) that includes:

  • A definition of human trafficking.
  • The role organized crime plays in facilitating human trafficking.
  • The prevalence of human trafficking in the northeastern United States.
  • An estimate of the amount of money generated annually through organized human trafficking.
  • The economic incentives that make human trafficking one of the world’s most profitable criminal enterprises.
  • At least three arguments supporting the position that current laws, law enforcement efforts, and criminal penalties are sufficient to combat human trafficking.
  • At least three arguments supporting the position that stronger laws, increased penalties, and additional resources are needed to effectively combat human trafficking.
  • Which position you currently find more persuasive, and why.
  • One question or observation you would like to discuss with your classmates.
Acceptable & Ethical Use of AI
  • Use AI to help you organize and clarify key information from the assigned readings and credible sources about human trafficking and the role of organized crime, so you can structure your response before writing.
  • Use AI to assist you in synthesizing data related to the prevalence and economic scale of organized human trafficking in the northeastern United States, helping you frame your analysis before completing the activity.
Directions

Please read all instructions carefully before submitting your prep activity.

  • Your prep should be no longer than one page.
  • This is not a paper; it should consist of concise talking points and bullet statements for our in-class discussion.
  • An abstract is not required.
  • Sources are not required.
  • Focus on key concepts, analysis, and examples that will help guide classroom discussion.
  • Do not overthink this activity. A simple list of well-developed talking points is sufficient.
Submission Guidelines
  • Submit your prep activity through the designated submission area.
  • Accepted formats include Word or PDF unless otherwise specified.
  • Review the grading rubric before submitting your work.
  • Submissions are checked using both a plagiarism checker and AI detection software.
  • Direct quotations should not exceed 15% of the total submission.
Important Reminder

Important: All work must be your own. AI may be used only in the limited and ethical ways described above. Using AI to write your submission is considered academic dishonesty. This activity is intended to prepare you for class discussion, so focus on creating your own talking points and analysis.