Abstract

Since the passage of the Palermo Protocol in 2000, most states have increased their efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons. According to the annual Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, Uganda currently ranks as a Tier 2 country, partly due to ongoing difficulties in investigating and prosecuting of trafficking in persons. This article suggests community prosecution in Uganda could improve trafficking in persons prosecutions. Community prosecution is a non-traditional method of prosecution that focuses on preventing crime before it happens. By combining community prosecution methods with other prosecutorial best practices, such as prosecutor-led investigations, multi-disciplinary teams, and a continuum of care, prosecutors in Uganda could better prevent trafficking in persons and serve victims through a trauma-informed approach. This article outlines relevant community prosecution practices, including the advantages and challenges, and then proposes several recommendations for how Ugandan prosecutors could implement community prosecution methods specifically to address trafficking in persons cases.