The program of the paper is as follows: section II briefly explores
the criminological contours of trafficking offenses. It describes
perpetrators, victims, and root causes using new data
provided in the US State Department's Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report of June 2008.14 Section III investigates the legal
landscape preceding the creation of the Protocol; specifically, the
perspectives underlying numerous international instruments addressing
trafficking. Finally, Section IV assesses the successes and
failures of relevant, key provisions in the Protocol, and outlines
modifications to increase its overall success for slowing the advancing
criminal enterprise of human trafficking.
This paper argues that while the Protocol takes positive steps,
it is still plagued by problems, which have burdened other similarly
motivated, international anti-trafficking efforts. The primary thesis
of the paper is that, ultimately, the Protocol would benefit from
adding or strengthening provisions that focus on eradicating the
poverty-driven vulnerability of people groups at high risk for
trafficking.