Dominican Republic Judicial Branch Receives First Place 2010 International Innovare Award

July 26, 2010

The Dominican Republic, represented by the Judicial Department of city of La Vega, recently earned the first place 2010 International Innovare Award, which recognizes the top Iberian American Judicial Branch for improving the quality of its justice system. For this year’s event, six Latin American countries participated: Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. The award, given by the O Globo Group during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was attended by Dr. Jorge Subero Isa, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. The top award went to the innovative Management Model of the Criminal Judicial Office of La Vega, Dominican Republic, which facilitated the implementation of the new Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). DPK was closely involved in the development and training of the management model and implementation of the new CPC.

In September 2004, the Dominican Republic enacted a new CPC which required the development of a management system to implement the new law. To determine how best to implement the CPC, four judicial departments were evaluated which revealed the followed weaknesses:

1. Problems in case management and processing due to the overload of manual records; lack of automated management systems;
2. Inadequate application of the new CPC due to inflexibility in changing procedures and judicial processes that differed from traditional customs;
3. Lack of inter-institutional coordination;
4. No standard procedures and organizational structure;
5. Insufficient training of judicial personnel;
6. Limited internal and external dissemination of the new criminal procedure code;
7. Lack of equipment;
8. Confusion in office management roles;
9. Inappropriate delegation of judicial responsibilities of judges and inaccurate legal advice.

These challenges were addressed in the design of the new model, which was formalized through an inter-institutional coordination framework agreement signed among justice sector institutions. The main objective of the Management Model is to guarantee the effective application of the CPC. It provides for more modern administrative management (an automated management system), separates judicial from administrative responsibilities (establishes corporate judicial offices), improves customer service, and provides training to judicial employees to develop the necessary skills to implement the CPC.
The benefits of the Management Model for the Criminal Office are:

1. Standardizes the organization, structure, and procedures of the courts which will improve the efficiency of judicial services;
2. Concentrates the secretarial services of the criminal courts under one unit;
3. Provides criminal justice services 24 hours a day through the Judicial Office of Permanent Services;
4. Monitors performance of the Criminal Judicial Office to guarantee continuous improvement.

The award-winning Management Model was the result of close collaboration among the USAID/DPK Justicia y Gobernabilidad Project team, local and international consultants, and the judicial branch through multidisciplinary commissions of criminal judges, court personnel, and other judicial actors.
DPK was involved in the design and implementation of the Model, suggested changes in administrative procedures, assisted with training, supported institutional coordination, helped disseminate the new criminal procedure code, and provided needed equipment and supplies.

The Model was first implemented by Mag. Francisco Jerez Mena, President of the Criminal Court of La Vega. It was selected to be replicated in other countries in 2007 during a CEJA event in Chile. Under the current USAID Proyecto de Justicia, which is implemented technically by DPK, under subcontract to DAI, in close coordination with the Planning and Projects’ Office of the Judicial Branch, the model has been expanded to the Judicial Districts of Moca and Cotui, and will soon be implemented in Puerto Plata.

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	Dominican Republic Judicial Branch Receives First Place 2010 International Innovare Award July 26, 2010 The Dominican Republic, represented by the Judicial Department of city of La Vega, recently earned the first place 2010 International Innovare Award, which recognizes the top Iberian American Judicial Branch for improving the quality of its justice system. For this year’s event, six Latin American countries participated: Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. The award, given by the O Globo Group during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was attended by Dr. Jorge Subero Isa, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. The top award went to the innovative Management Model of the Criminal Judicial Office of La Vega, Dominican Republic, which facilitated the implementation of the new Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). DPK was closely involved in the development and training of the management model and implementation of the new CPC. In September 2004, the Dominican Republic enacted a new CPC which required the development of a management system to implement the new law. To determine how best to implement the CPC, four judicial departments were evaluated which revealed the followed weaknesses: 1. Problems in case management and processing due to the overload of manual records; lack of automated management systems; 2. Inadequate application of the new CPC due to inflexibility in changing procedures and judicial processes that differed from traditional customs; 3. Lack of inter-institutional coordination; 4. No standard procedures and organizational structure; 5. Insufficient training of judicial personnel; 6. Limited internal and external dissemination of the new criminal procedure code; 7. Lack of equipment; 8. Confusion in office management roles; 9. Inappropriate delegation of judicial responsibilities of judges and inaccurate legal advice. These challenges were addressed in the design of the new model, which was formalized through an inter-institutional coordination framework agreement signed among justice sector institutions. The main objective of the Management Model is to guarantee the effective application of the CPC. It provides for more modern administrative management (an automated management system), separates judicial from administrative responsibilities (establishes corporate judicial offices), improves customer service, and provides training to judicial employees to develop the necessary skills to implement the CPC. The benefits of the Management Model for the Criminal Office are: 1. Standardizes the organization, structure, and procedures of the courts which will improve the efficiency of judicial services; 2. Concentrates the secretarial services of the criminal courts under one unit; 3. Provides criminal justice services 24 hours a day through the Judicial Office of Permanent Services; 4. Monitors performance of the Criminal Judicial Office to guarantee continuous improvement. The award-winning Management Model was the result of close collaboration among the USAID/DPK Justicia y Gobernabilidad Project team, local and international consultants, and the judicial branch through multidisciplinary commissions of criminal judges, court personnel, and other judicial actors. DPK was involved in the design and implementation of the Model, suggested changes in administrative procedures, assisted with training, supported institutional coordination, helped disseminate the new criminal procedure code, and provided needed equipment and supplies. The Model was first implemented by Mag. Francisco Jerez Mena, President of the Criminal Court of La Vega. It was selected to be replicated in other countries in 2007 during a CEJA event in Chile. Under the current USAID Proyecto de Justicia, which is implemented technically by DPK, under subcontract to DAI, in close coordination with the Planning and Projects’ Office of the Judicial Branch, the model has been expanded to the Judicial Districts of Moca and Cotui, and will soon be implemented in Puerto Plata.
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