In the Dock

ForewordIn the public and political discourse on crime, much emphasis is placed today on the needs of victims.This is as it should be. Victims suffer the effects of crime, so they need to be treated withunderstanding and their rights should be protected at all times. It is also right that the Stateinvestigates and prosecutes offenders.This report looks at how the UK’s criminal justice system deals with the crime of trafficking in humanbeings. It demonstrates that there is still much to be done to ensure the prosecution and conviction oftraffickers as well as the protection of victims.People who are trafficked sometimes commit offences. They may well be trafficked and forced tocarry out illegal activities, such as cannabis cultivation, street begging or pick-pocketing. Many mayalso be committing immigration offences as part of their trafficking ordeal. However, it is crucial toremember that they do not commit these offences of their own free will. They commit them becausethey are in the thrall of their traffickers. Unfortunately the UK’s prosecution system all too often fails torecognise who are real victims and who are offenders. This is a sad reflection of the lack ofunderstanding throughout the criminal justice system of what trafficking is, and how it affects thosewho are trafficked.I therefore commend this report to all who have a responsibility in any part of the criminal justiceprocess. It will help practitioners at all levels not only to recognise the rights and needs of victims oftrafficking but also to be alert to this modern crime.Remember: the apparent offender in front of you may be a victim of trafficking.Paul WhitehouseChair of Anti-Slavery InternationalJune 20132