The Locust Effect ─ Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence

When we think of global poverty we usually think of hunger, disease, homelessness. Few of us think of violence. But beneath the surface of the poorest communities in the developing world is a hidden epidemic of everyday violence-of rape, forced labor, illegal detention, land theft, police abuse, and more- that is undermining our best efforts to assist the poor.

Gary Haugen and Victor Boutros's The Locust Effect offers a searing account of the way pervasive violence blocks the road out of poverty, undermines economic development, and reduces the effectiveness of international public health efforts. As corrupt and dysfunctional justice systems allow the locusts of predatory violence to descend upon the poor, the ravaging plague lays waste to programs of income generation, disease prevention, education for girls and other assistance to the poor. And tragically, none of these aid programs can stop the violence.

In graphic real-world stories-set in locales ranging from Peru to India to Nigeria- The Locust Effect offers a gripping journey into the vast, hidden underworld of everyday violence where justice is only available to those with money. But the book holds out hope, recalling that justice systems in developed countries were once just as corrupt and brutal; and explores a practical path for throwing off antiquated colonial justice systems and re-engineering the administration of justice to protect the poorest.

Sweeping in scope and filled with unforgettable stories, The Locust Effect will force us to rethink everything we know about the causes of poverty and what it will take make the poor safe enough to prosper.

Gary A. Haugen is founder and president of International Justice Mission (IJM) - a global nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the poor from violence by rescuing victims, bringing the criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future. Haugen received the Trafficking in Persons Hero (TIP Hero) award by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2012 for the work of his organization to combat human trafficking overseas. Prior to founding IJM in 1997, Haugen was detailed by the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as Senior Trial Attorney with the Police Misconduct Task Force of the Civil Rights Division, to serve as Officer in Charge of the United Nations' investigation of the Rwandan genocide. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law School, Haugen was also honored for his human rights leadership by the University of Chicago, Pepperdine University, Prison Fellowship and Sojourners, among other institutions. Haugen and the work of IJM have been featured by Foreign Affairs, The New Yorker, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, the Times of India, CNN, Dateline NBC, FOX News, MSNBC and National Public Radio, among many other outlets.

Victor Boutros is a federal prosecutor who investigates and tries nationally significant cases of police misconduct, hate crimes, and international human trafficking around the country on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. He is also a member of the Justice Department's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which consolidates the expertise of some of nation's top human trafficking prosecutors and enhances the federal government's ability to identify and prosecute large human trafficking networks. Boutros trains federal and local law enforcement professionals on investigating and prosecuting federal civil rights crimes and has taught trial advocacy to indigenous lawyers working on similar issues in the developing world. Prior to his work with the Justice Department, Boutros worked on prison reform in Ecuador, documented bonded slaves in India, and helped strengthen anti-trafficking efforts as a visiting lawyer with the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa. Boutros is a graduate of Baylor University, Harvard University, Oxford University, and the University of Chicago Law School.