3.31 The Commonwealth Connects programme might be used to provide information and contact details about different networks and should promote access to existing training materials, initiatives and good practice. Public-private co-operation 3.32 The expertise of the private sector/industry in respect of new technologies is an essential element for criminal justice training and the promotion of awareness. Private sector experts usually have the best and most up to date knowledge of hardware and networks needed to train investigators, and service providers and commercial users of the technologies often become aware of new crime trends or criminal activities first as they or their customers are targeted. Training institutes should consider involving academic and private sector experts in the design of their programmes and the development of training material. The participatory nature of this process can facilitate the co-operation and involvement of different stakeholders and the bringing together of knowledge and expertise. The advantages may also be reciprocal to some degree, as engagement in cybercrime training with law enforcement and prosecution experts may also help raise the awareness of cybercrime and the challenges of investigation and prosecution in the private sector. 3.33 Public-private co-operation has to be utilised sensitively in order to maintain the independence and impartiality of those responsible for criminal justice, particularly prosecutors and judges. Private sector involvement in general training is not as potentially problematic as it would be in the conduct of investigations or prosecutions, but may still have to be managed so as not to influence law enforcement, prosecutorial or judicial decisions. It is also important that any publicity or public attention to private sector involvement not create any appearance that the independence of criminal justice agencies or actors is compromised. Industry should not engage with training institutions for criminal justice actors in the expectation that they may thereby gain some advantage in terms of any criminal justice outcomes, but should do so on the basis that they will be enabling well informed decision making. The role of the Commonwealth Secretariat 3.34 This part of the Group’s Report has identified a number of tasks in respect of training which need to be undertaken with a degree of urgency. The Group believes that the Commonwealth Secretariat should take a lead by (a) maintaining up-to-date information (in conjunction with other international organisations) about existing training products that may be available to Commonwealth countries from third party, national and international organisations; (b) making use of the Commonwealth Connects platform to maintain a database of existing regional and international training courses and centres and available materials that can be accessed or distributed in response to requests from national governments, judicial or law enforcement bodies; (c) maintaining similarly a database of trainers that are qualified and able to support training activities for criminal justice actors in Commonwealth countries; and (d) working with training course providers, including those experienced in training the judiciary in the Commonwealth, such as the CMJA, in order to create and develop course materials and training of trainers courses in fields not covered by existing national, regional or international training courses, especially where gaps have been identified and where further capacity building is required. 47