Policy Paper (Facial Recognition)

Sex Trafficking & Modern Day Slavery

CHECKLIST Topic

Topic addresses the issue of sex trafficking • Issues such as harm-reduction programs and institutionalization of youth stand alone but are also

completely relevant to the issue of sex trafficking, which should remain the focus of your paper. Topic focuses on a specific policy issue to change • Public policy is ”courses of action, regulatory measures, laws, and funding priorities concerning a given

topic promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives.” In this paper, we are asking WHAT actions, measures, laws and/or funding priorities do you recommend?

Research done to understand the need for your proposed policy changes • Know whether your ideas for change, task forces, partnerships, programs, etc. already exist before

recommending. Good ideas focus on best-practices to replicate or gaps in the field to be filled. Policy recommendations focus on a specific audience that has the authority to make changes • Policy change proposals can be directed at and implemented by a variety of actors (e.g. church leaders,

school President, state or federal legislators, specific governmental agencies, the U.N. and more). Policy recommendations are realistic and feasible actions for your audience to take • Don’t ask the President of the United States to stop dismantle the patriarchy with a wave of his wand.

What steps can be actually taken by the President or Congress to get us moving in that direction?

Organization Opening sentence sums up your point • DO NOT start with “Human Trafficking has been around for centuries” (or similar). If your audience only

reads the first two sentences, the problem and what you want them to do about it should be clear. Written in policy paper format (NOT an academic research or opinion paper) • See this guide for more info: http://govthesis.site.wesleyan.edu/home/policy-paper/

Clear and concise statements • No extra points for lengthy prose or sophisticated vocabulary. Ditch the fluffy filler and highfalutin words.

Effective use of statistics • Don’t just throw in a big list of stats. Start with a transitional / attention-getter sentence, provide your

relevant statistics (3-5 is ideal) and then contextualize the stats. How do they strengthen your case? If they don’t directly support your position, then don’t use them. Also, make sure they are credible and cite.

Succinct and well-structured paragraphs • Start paragraphs with main point then provide supporting details. When introducing a new idea, start a

new paragraph. Avoid turning paragraphs into extra long strings of tangential and random information. Formatting is polished and easy to read • Your audience has a short attention span. There are easy templates to use to make your paper look more

eye-catching. Use subtitles, photos, columns, pop-out boxes or other simple features.

2016 Sandy Skelaney, Adjunct Professor, FIU ! of !1 3

POLICY PAPER WRITING GUIDE

Sex Trafficking & Modern Day Slavery

Grammar

Use of professional language • Avoid phrases such as “many times we see”, “as we know”, “the system doesn’t care too much for..” as

they sound mundane. However, don’t overcompensate to overly academic and sophisticated prose because you may lose your reader. Aim for credible and intelligent yet easy to read.

Language chosen wisely • Understand how to properly use language to describe the sex industry and sex trafficking that is sensitive

to both the agency of women consensually participating in the sex industry and survivors who have experience brutal exploitation. Words like “recruit”, “prostitute”, “victim”, “servant” and others elicit strong responses and imagery, so take care when using them and avoid derogatory language and slang.

Use of proper vocabulary for context • Know the vocabulary associated with your subject. (e.g. Laws are “amended” not “adjusted”, they are

“enforced” not “imposed”. Decreasing demand reduces traffickers’ “profits” not “budgets”.) Basic GRAMMAR rules followed, SPELLCHECKED and PROOFREAD!! • 2/two; they’re/their; weather/whether, its/it’s, etc. • No run-on sentences! • Know your subject-verb-predicate rules! “The importance of the problem is severe” says “The importance

is severe” not “the problem is severe.” • Typos, spelling and grammar errors are not acceptable in college-level work.

Other Tips Are your assertions TRUE? Avoid generalizations. • “The system always hurts people”, “Victims are forced” (implies all victims are always forced), “police are

corrupt”, “prostitution has been around forever”, “homeless kids are raped”, “nobody knows about this”, etc. ASK YOURSELF: Is this true? If so, how do you know it’s true? Generally speaking, generalizations are never accurate. Aim for accuracy in your representation of the issue. Use “many”, “some”, “few”, “a majority”, “most”, “often” and actual numbers and statistics to prove your point.

Paper is not personalized • The most common error is “I believe” or “I think”. We know that’s what you believe because you wrote it,

so this is unnecessary at best. Since policy papers are meant to influence change, they should appear to be supported by more than just one person, even if it’s an illusion, so keep the “I” statements out as well as any language that sounds angry or personally offended or disgusted.

Extreme adjectives and judgment neutralized • Present a logical argument that motivates people to create change without loading your paper with

exaggerations, judgments and personal biases. Statements such as “victims lives are RUINED”, “this DISASTROUS policy”, “the EVIL we know as trafficking” may be effective when preaching to the choir, but not when influencing people who are looking for rational solutions to public welfare concerns.

2016 Sandy Skelaney, Adjunct Professor, FIU ! of !2 3

POLICY PAPER WRITING GUIDE

Sex Trafficking & Modern Day Slavery

More than 3 sources used • This is not an opinion essay. Use more than three unique and credible sources to validate your position.

Sources include one or more academic journals • Use your library privileges and access some real evidence to prove your approach will work.

APA rules for footnotes and citations followed • APA Guidelines: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

The TVPA is cited when defining human trafficking in the US. • (You guys are killing me here.) If you are quoting the TVPA definition of human trafficking, reference the

ACTUAL TVPA and not the secondary source that referenced it. Here’s a guide to citing legal statutes: http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2013/02/writing-references-for-federal-statutes.html

Use of ACTIVE voice over PASSIVE voice • Passive voice weakens and obscures your point behind unnecessary words. (ACTIVE) / Your point may

be obscured and weakened by the use of unnecessary words found in the passive voice (PASSIVE). It’s not grammatically incorrect, but, if overused, it is a stylistic nightmare that is a drag to read. Cut it short.

• Rationale: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kudler/getting-grammatical-whats-the-big-deal-with-passive-voice_b_6896996.html • How passive voice reinforces gender based violence: http://sites.middlebury.edu/middmag/2012/03/15/gender-violence/

Effective and clear list of recommendations - ACTIONABLE ITEMS!! • Use bulleted or numbered lists to highlight specific recommendations. • One well-constructed recommendation is acceptable (don’t feel pressured to make a huge list). • Recommendations directed at more than one audience must specifically address each party (e.g. The

Dept of Health should…; DCF should…; The Dept of Juvenile Services should…). • Avoid confusing the audience with too many unrelated recommendations. If you are focused on

awareness-raising, stay focused on it; if you are focused on funding for services, stay focused on it. There are countless areas that need improvement to address this issue. You don’t need to make your list comprehensive, but it should be as specific as possible.

Page limit of 2-3 pages • Most people who influence change will not pay attention past page two or three. Don’t even bother.

NOTE: Take the time to master this policy paper assignment. This persuasive and concise writing style will likely be applicable in your future careers in a variety of ways, and, if executed skillfully, can turn you into a great influencer.

If you need further assistance, come see me, contact the writing center at school or check out the many samples and writing guides online.

2016 Sandy Skelaney, Adjunct Professor, FIU ! of !3 3