From 2012-2017, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI) Strengthen the Haitian Justice Sector program worked to strengthen the technical capacity of the Haitian justice sector to effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate criminal cases in accordance with current and anticipated criminal legislation. ABA ROLI worked to increase the effectiveness of investigative judges and to improve procedures and oversight at Port-au-Prince police stations. Finally, ABA ROLI assisted with the creation of mentoring groups for Haitian police, judges and prosecutors to further reinforce skills to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate financial crimes.
Our work created a partnership between institutions such as, Haiti’s Magistrate School and the National Police Academy that are critical to the effectiveness of the justice system and that will strengthen ties between the Haitian judiciary and law enforcement. These inter-institutional cross-training sessions provided an overview of local and international legislation, best practices and incorporated interactive exercises aimed at improving cooperation between Haitian judges and police. ABA ROLI also held specialized training sessions for the justice sector, including ethics training sessions and human trafficking awareness training sessions that increase collaboration among key stakeholders.