HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN IDAHO: A GROWING ISSUE AND HOW IDAHO LAW CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE

Human trafficking has been a national problem since the beginning of the nation’s history and has created millions of victims and threatened the safety and freedom of our country. Since 2000, when the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking was passed, states have followed suit and passed their own versions of trafficking statutes. Many states have also recognized the growth of the problem and reformed their legislation to respond and provide resources for victims more effectively. This article discusses the importance of state legislation against human trafficking and analyzes Idaho’s own statute in comparison to other states. The article concludes that Idaho legislation has many areas which need to be improved to more successfully bring justice for victims of human trafficking within the state. This article recognizes recent advances that have been made and suggests recommendations for future improvement.