CPS statement on the HMCPSI report on the CPS response to the Modern Slavery Act 2015

Since the Modern Slavery Act came into force in 2015, the CPS has been working with police, government and partner agencies to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of trafficking and slavery cases. We are committed to increasing the number of prosecutions and delivering justice for victims.

The CPS is pleased the HMCPSI report recognises that individual slavery and trafficking cases are being handled well, that our prosecutors have a good understanding of the law, and that we are working effectively with police and other enforcement teams in the most complex cases. The report also recognises the high quality of the investigative advice we provide to police, as well as the advice provided around support for victims and other legal matters. We intend to build on this solid foundation by ensuring our operational framework is resilient, and that knowledge and best practice is regularly shared with CPS staff dealing with all aspects of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Modern slavery and human trafficking involves a wide range of crimes including forced labour, sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse, forced criminality, and domestic servitude. We have developed specific guidance for prosecutors and police to help them understand different and evolving types of offending, such as county-lines offending, and exploitation through sham marriages.

Mandatory training is being rolled out to relevant prosecutors to ensure they have the skills to build strong cases that can withstand the challenges of modern slavery prosecutions. This includes building evidence-based prosecutions to ease the pressures on victims who may be vulnerable or in fear.

We are also looking at further training for all prosecutors to help them recognise the signs that a suspect in a criminal case might actually be a victim of trafficking or slavery.

Modern slavery is a global issue and we are determined to take all possible steps to hold those responsible to account, regardless of borders.

We are ensuring that we maintain strong links with criminal justice partners in other countries so that we can have an impact at all stages of the slavery supply chain. We have around 30 specialist prosecutors based overseas who help us to do this and in some cases build capability and capacity in local criminal justice systems to tackle serious and organised crime.

In February the CPS will host an international summit for chief prosecutors from 20 countries aimed at stepping up activity, identifying ways to better support victims and witnesses, and establishing a strong, active international network to tackle these serious crimes.

We agree that we can strengthen the way we work with police, and will be undertaking an in-depth exercise to closely examine those cases referred to us by the police that did not result in charges, to identify and address the issues that may be preventing prosecutions from beginning.