Response to Walter Rumans
As Rumans observes, this movie represents a perfect example of how human trafficking occurs and the responses that can be used to it. The manner in which the main character in this film handles the case of his kidnapped daughter is similar and also differs in some ways from the way in which the US agencies deal with such situations. It is true that cooperation with other organizations is one of the best means of combating human trafficking since in most cases it is not just one individual involved. It is usually a vast network of people involved and hence to be successful, the law enforcement agencies need to work with other government agencies. According to Palmiotto, given the complex and multifaceted nature of human trafficking and related criminal organizations, there is a need for agencies to work together across jurisdictions (194). Further, the two are similar regarding who is sent to deal with the human traffickers. The major difference comes in regarding the number of people involved. The government operations are usually carried out by a multiplicity of officers but in the movie, Neeson acts alone.
Response to Darren Drinkwater
The writer is right when he asserts that the movie highlights precisely the disgusting nature of human trafficking and how it can have devastating impacts on the families of those abducted. It is indeed heart wrenching. The scenes in the movie are also an indication of just how much the nature of crime has changed from simple theft to human trafficking and abduction. Criminals now use more sophisticated means to achieve their criminal acts. Thus, law enforcement agencies need to up their game if they are to net these criminals. One way of foiling such illegal activities as noted by this Darren is through covert operations. In the movie, however, Neeson did not use such undercover operations but used a direct approach. This may not be the best approach when dealing with such cases as it could put more lives at risk. I also agree with Drinkwater that at an individual level, the best way to deal with human trafficking is to be in groups, remain anonymous and not to post information on the internet that could be used by potential traffickers to track us down.
Work(s) Cited
Palmiotto, Michael J. Combating human trafficking: A multidisciplinary approach. Boca Raton, London & New York: CRC Press, 2015. Print.
