By David Madden

NEW JERSEY (CBS) – Officials in the Garden State are stepping up their efforts to combat human trafficking.

A directive handed down this week by Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, in effect, makes it one of the state’s top priorities.

Human trafficking mostly deals with sex or what some might call “slave labor”, involving those who are least able to fight back.
 
“It involves young children. It involves people from other countries who may not speak our language or understand our customs and don’t have family here,” Chiesa said.

The new plan set aside resources at the state and county level to understand the problem, help the victims and lock up those responsible for it.

If you see anything outside the norm in your neighborhood, like young kids on a job at odd hours, you are asked to notify police or call a 24-hour hotline available to report suspected cases of human trafficking at 877-986-7534.

Additional information is also available on-line at www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/humantrafficking.