The judicial case management information system (CMIS) in Haiti was originally installed in the St. Marc Court of First Instance in 2013. The system was designed to provide a modern electronic case management system, allowing case information to be made available everywhere it is needed when it is needed. However, the system has not been fully functional in the four original pilot courts, and its use was discontinued around the time the Projustice project ended in June 2016.
The reasons for the failure of sustainability include the lack of institutional engagement and support, as well as technical issues such as bugs or other problems that need to be identified and resolved. Additionally, the respective roles of the Courts and the Ministry have not been defined, and the use of an out-of-country developer has slowed continued development. Some of the pilot courts also lack adequate equipment to use CMIS effectively, and personnel in the pilot courts need proper documentation and training.
The current focus should be on developing CMIS to full functionality in the four existing pilot courts. To accomplish this, a number of technical and non-technical tasks must be addressed, including documenting the technical system, cleaning up software code, defining institutional support, specifying case management objectives, aligning policies and procedures, field testing the full CMIS application, delivering equipment, completing training of personnel, and transferring code development to a Haitian developer.
The Court of First Instance (CFI) and the High Judiciary Council (CSPJ) have not defined their respective roles in the use of CMIS, and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) has not identified case management objectives for the system. The pilot courts also lack ICT support staff, and personnel in the pilot courts need proper documentation and training.
The Justice Sector Strengthening Program (JSSP) should focus on implementing CMIS in the four existing pilot courts for at least the current fiscal year. During that time, it should also develop a strategy for implementation to other courts, conditioned on the level of support from CSPJ and MJSP, and the readiness and willingness of additional expansion courts. CMIS is only a tool that can be used to more effectively manage cases and courts, and without a commitment from leadership to use the tool properly, it would be of no value to a court or prosecutor’s office.
The pre-assessment questionnaire was administered to the four pilot courts in December 2016, and a technical assessment of CMIS was conducted during a two-week trip beginning January 16, 2017. Meetings were held with representatives of the CSPJ, MJSP to discuss definition of roles, sustainability, and linkages to other institutions. Preliminary conclusions were presented to stakeholders, including USAID, and a report of recommendations was prepared.
The Court of First Instance (CFI) maintains official records of court proceedings in a system of paper case files and manual registry books. As a case progresses through the criminal justice system, data is entered into the paper register books in the courts and the prosecutor’s offices. This traditional system lacks the advantages of a modern electronic case management system, which can provide case status queries, notifications, and management reports.