The High Judicial Council (CSPJ) has been primarily run by its Board members since its inception in 2012. However, to fulfill its mission, the CSPJ must delegate certain responsibilities to its administration. In Quarter 2, a JSSP consultant led a training for 21 mid-level CSPJ and Magistrates’ School staff members on institutional behavior and ethics. This training serves as a part of JSSP’s mandate to strengthen the CSPJ’s capacity.
The Women Judges’ Association (CHAIFEJ) conducted a workshop on justice independence for 60 key stakeholders, including representatives from the CSPJ, MJSP, and other judges’ associations, on March 7, 2020. JSSP presented findings from its legal education study to sector stakeholders on January 31, 2020. The study revealed that there are currently 61 institutions in Haiti that provide legal education, with an average of six teachers per institution. The teachers are overextended, with some teaching up to 10 subject matters.
As a result of this study, the State University Rectorate issued an executive order on March 31, 2020, addressing key study findings and providing recommendations. The order aimed to improve the quality of legal education in Haiti. JSSP has been working to strengthen the capacity of the CSPJ and other institutions in the justice sector. The program has provided training and technical assistance to various stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, and prosecutors’ associations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to the justice sector in Haiti. Despite these challenges, JSSP has continued to work towards its objectives, including the expansion of the case management information system (CMIS) and the establishment of a national legal assistance program. The CMIS has been expanded to three new jurisdictions, and 19,781 cases have been entered into the system. JSSP has also completed the draft web for additional institutions, including the National Police Investigative Unit (DCPJ), the anti-money laundering unit (UCREF), and the anti-corruption unit (ULCC).
The Technical Coordination Unit of CMIS (UCOTES) has been working with JSSP to root the CMIS within local ownership at the technical level. The CMIS Steering Committee (CNdP) has made significant progress in taking over various CMIS responsibilities, including the budget. Discussions are underway between the MJSP and the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) to host the CMIS main servers free of charge. A joint press conference was held on September 23, 2020, to inform the media and the public about the most recent CMIS developments.
JSSP has also been working to strengthen the capacity of the justice sector institutions, including the High Judicial Council (CSPJ) and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP). The program has provided training and technical assistance to various stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, and prosecutors’ associations. JSSP has also been working to improve the coordination and communication between the different institutions in the justice sector.
The program has also been working to address the issue of prolonged pretrial detention in Haiti. JSSP has conducted three workshops in Saint-Marc, Cap-Haitien, and Croix-des-Bouquets with all jurisdictions’ stakeholders to improve coordination and reduce prolonged pretrial detention. A total of 150 individuals (118 men and 32 women) participated in the workshops. The project has also been working to improve the vetting process for judges and prosecutors, with a focus on moral and professional integrity.