Policy Analysis III—Compare and Contrast Paper

Policy Analysis III—Compare and Contrast Paper

Introduction

The purpose of Policy Analysis revolves around a critique of government policy, evaluating its successes and failures. The U.S. implements numerous policies to tackle social issues and criminal activity, including the U.S. community-oriented policing which surfaced as an innovative and relatively successful approach to curbing crime. Others, such as the U.S. Human Trafficking policy, may not be as successful but improving steadily through sustained reform. The U.S. criminal justice system practices Packard's Due Process Model, based on its promise of individual rights and civil liberties in the U.S. constitution. This paper presents an evaluation of the problems that law enforcement, courts, and the government face while drawing up and implementing the aforementioned policies.

Discussion

U.S. Community-Oriented Policing

Community policing refers to a structure of organization strategies which bolster the use of partnerships and problem-solving skills to highlight the conditions which act as catalysts to criminal activity and social order, addressing public safety issues. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) serves as the legal arm the U.S. Depart of Justice that monitors and furthers community policing in the U.S. Community policing efforts include the provision of grants to law enforcement agencies as well as providing information. Community policing works in three key areas in the U.S. including community partnerships, organizational transformation, and problem solving.

U.S. Human Trafficking Policy

Human trafficking is a difficult crime to detect considering its transnational nature and the existence of a highly sophisticated network facilitating organized crime. In international criminal endeavors Trafficking in persons (TIP) is one of the most prolific agencies. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates suggest that some 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States annually. The U.S. Congress has a history of several legal attempts to eradicate human trafficking, primarily using State and legal tools such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA). U.S. policy towards TIP comprises grant programs that aid victims of TIP and law enforcement agencies battling TIP. It also appropriates funds, creates additions to existing criminal laws, and supervises the overall effectiveness of these measures. Current efforts include passing authorization to extend the TVPA after FY2011. Additionally, the Congress makes other provisions, such as introducing bills to focus on eliminating TIP, especially after the United Nation (UN) Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish TIP as described by Article 3 of the U.N. Protocol. Across the U.S., the TVPA established two agencies that combat TIP that include the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG) and the President's Interagency Task Force (PITF). The Office to Monitor and Combat TIP is a central policy office at the U.S. State department that coordinates international TIP efforts. The U.S. State department publishes an annual report on TIP across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 countries to evaluate whether these countries are meeting minimum TIP requirements. In addition, the U.S. Labor, State, and Homeland Security departments compile lists of products created through child labor, banning them from U.S. imports (Siskin & Wyler, ...