NCJ Number
222026
Journal
European Journal of Criminology Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2008 Pages: 39-68
Date Published
January 2008
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This article describes the patterns of human trafficking from and within South-Eastern Europe, with attention to traffickers and their activities.
Abstract
The author concludes that human trafficking in South-Eastern Europe is a complex, ever-evolving, organized crime industry that has witnessed a transformation in recent years. It is noted that the profile of the traditional trafficker has changed, as well as their strategies, behaviors, and tactics, in response to social, economic, and political situations. Nevertheless, trafficking continues to be a wide-ranging and often violent issue that needs to be seriously addressed by authorities in the region. Enforcement efforts in the region are often restricted due to limited information on organized crime and human trafficking networks and have been slow to adapt to changes in trafficking profiles and tactics. However, enforcement efforts have increased, become better organized, and have incorporated transnational strategies where countries in the region cooperate to combat this crime. The author stresses that law enforcement efforts will have to evolve further in order for human trafficking to be effectively reduced and prevented in the region. Information about traffickers and their inner workings is central to this effort. Footnotes, acknowledgements, references, and author biography