Criminal Justice Training and Coordination Consultant

Position Title: Criminal Justice Training and Coordination Consultant

Period of Performance: July to September 2024

Estimated Level of Effort: 45-60 days

Project Description

The purpose of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) End Wildlife Crime (EWC) activity is to conserve biodiversity and strengthen rules-based order by building on the long history of USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA) in counter wildlife trafficking (CWT) through partnerships with regional organizations such as ASEAN and its affiliate bodies and agencies, governments, the private sector, and civil society. It is a five-year program being led by RTI in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC), Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The geographic scope encompasses Asia with a primary focus on China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Position Description

In support of efforts aimed at ensuring that law enforcement, adjudication, and policymaking systems are improved across the region and that criminal justice stakeholders share a common vision and are collaborating more effectively to combat wildlife crime, RTI is seeking a consultant with an understanding of and experience in law enforcement and criminal justice in ASEAN to lead research and to collaboratively design and develop a counter wildlife trafficking (CWT) strategy on training and coordination.

The main role of the consultant will be to undertake a mapping and needs assessment of academies, universities, and other learning institutes/platforms across the region, as well as criminal justice stakeholders involved in (or with interest in) CWT. The aim will be to better understand their roles, mandates, and functions, as well as their needs and priorities, and what the barriers and challenges are integrating and institutionalizing CWT. With the information collected, the consultant will draft a strategy on training and coordination which will outline what is required to enhance the skills and capabilities of criminal justice stakeholders across ASEAN, and effective mechanisms to foster collaboration and consistency.

The consultant should ideally be based in Bangkok, Thailand to facilitate working in close collaboration with the USAID EWC program team in particular the Chief of Party, Criminal Justice Capacity Coordinator, and Training and Capacity Building Specialist.

Objectives

1. Undertake a rapid mapping of training academies, universities, learning institutes/platforms, and criminal justice stakeholders in ASEAN.
2. Conduct a needs assessment to gain a deeper understanding of the identified training providers and criminal justice stakeholders.
3. Identify the major gaps and challenges, and propose solutions to support effective integration and institutionalization of counter wildlife trafficking efforts. This includes addressing training and capacity-building needs, as well as the effective application of acquired skills and knowledge to combat wildlife crime.
4. Identify the major gaps and challenges as well as way to overcome them to support effective integration and institutionalization of counter wildlife trafficking among training providers, as well as by criminal justice stakeholders to enhance efforts to combat wildlife crime.
5. Draft a regional strategy on counter wildlife trafficking training and coordination to enhance capacity building, foster collaboration, and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources.

Key Tasks

• Review existing literature, reports, and other sources of information as a baseline for supporting the objectives of the consultancy.
• Design a protocol outlining data collection tools and sources the approach and plan to undertake the mapping and needs assessment in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders.
• Compile a comprehensive list of national and regional training academies, universities, learning institutes/platforms, and identify the key criminal justice stakeholder agencies and bodies in ASEAN including a detailed description of their roles, mandates, and functions and the extent to which they engage in CWT.
• Conduct interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions with representatives from identified training providers and criminal justice stakeholders to better understand their needs, priorities, and challenges in integrating CWT into their work and/or training/instruction initiatives.
• Analyze the data collected to identify solutions and responses aimed at enhancing institutionalization of CWT and wildlife crime within regional training institutes and their respective professional networks, as well as among criminal justice stakeholders.
• Prepare a detailed report outlining the findings of the rapid mapping and needs assessment.
• Support the organization of a stakeholder meeting to discuss the findings and update the report based on feedback.
  • Improving skills and capabilities to tackle wildlife crime.
  • Fostering unified and coordinated approaches.
  • Facilitating the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources.
• Utilizing insights from the mapping, needs assessments, and further consultations as necessary, develop a strategy establishing a collective vision on training and coordination for combatting wildlife trafficking. This strategy, directed towards training providers and criminal justice stakeholders, will serve as the cornerstone for:

Deliverables

• Mapping and needs assessment protocol outlining the methodology and procedures for data collection.
• Interview and focus group questionnaire with proposed list of interviewees.
• Summary and presentation of key findings from desktop study and literature review to USAID and other partners.
• Comprehensive list and description of training providers and criminal justice stakeholders in ASEAN.
• Detailed mapping and needs assessment report including an analysis of challenges regarding CWT integration, and overall findings and recommendations.
• Presentation and presentation materials summarizing key findings for stakeholders.
• Strategy establishing a collective vision on training and coordination for combatting wildlife trafficking and serving as a foundation for improving skills and capabilities to tackle wildlife crime, fostering unified and coordinated approaches, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources.

Timelines

• The mapping and needs report is to be completed by December 31, 2024.
• The strategy on training and coordination is to be completed by February 28, 2025.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in conducting mapping and needs assessments especially in the field of law enforcement, criminal justice, and related areas.
• Expertise in research methodologies, data collection, and analysis.
• Familiarity with the ASEAN region and its criminal justice landscape.
• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of wildlife trafficking issues especially in the ASEAN region.