"The Locust Effect" by Hauden and Boutros. A Review

 


I have been a financial supporter of International Justice Mission (IJM) since around 2006 and have known about Gary Haugen’s aim and work throughout those years. I have been most attracted to IJM’s work toward legally ending sex trafficking and human trafficking. So, I was delighted when IJM sent me a gratis copy of this 384-page paperback, “The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence” written and published by Haugen (founder and president of IJM) and Victor Boutros. I didn’t ask for it but am grateful it was sent, and so decided I would do a short review. It essentially lays out the reasons behind IJM’s purpose but has much broader application. 

The first chapters are tough going because of the real-life stories of brutal injustice recounted. The remainder of the work explains why most of our poverty alleviation projects have minimal results. It’s primarily due to the lack of a viable and valuable criminal justice system in the vast majority of the world. Which means that the poorest women, men, and children are vulnerable to violence, with no one to step in and protect. No matter how much they are helped, or become successful in caring for the family, it is all fragile and can be destroyed by land grabs, arrests, incarcerations, bondage, and sexual abuse and exploitation in the blink of an eye. 

The authors make a very carefully laid out case for the need to have a sustainable, well-trained, committed, and accountable criminal justice system in place, for the sake of all, but especially the most vulnerable – the poor. This work will help foster an appreciative perspective regarding the significant value of law enforcement and jurisprudence in the West. It will also aid readers in evaluating what is lacking is nearly 2/3rds of the world. I highly, highly recommend this work. And just as eagerly recommend you obtain copies to distribute to others. It will change how you perceive poverty alleviation, and criminal justice systems, our own and others.

The Book's website is here: The Locust Effect

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