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Colombia
>> Regional Overview >> Colombia Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: Colombia
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improve the Effectiveness of the Colombian Criminal Justice System, 514-001
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: None
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: None
STATUS: Continuing
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1991 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2001Summary: The justice sector program has sought to support Colombia's efforts to consolidate 1991 constitutional changes, to ensure transparency in all phases and levels of the criminal justice system and to help the criminal justice system reduce impunity. USAID's justice sector activities have also sought to increase the capacity of the National Ombudsman's Public Defenders' Office to expand citizen access to the formal justice system and to alternative forms of conflict resolution and community justice.
USAID's human rights program has worked to promote and foster greater respect for human rights in Colombia through a variety of activities and initiatives. By working with both the private and public sectors, USAID has implemented programs to protect human rights workers, prevent abuses, to strengthen governmental entities responsible for enforcing respect for human rights and to fortify Colombian human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Key Results: Results under this objective have been positive. With respect to the justice sector program, training for judges was successfully systematized through the Superior Judicial Council and through the strengthening of the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial School. As a result, 3,400 judges have been trained on judicial argumentation, legal evidence gathering and labor procedures. Moreover, with the participation of the Superior Judicial Council and in coordination with the Prosecutor's General Office, Attorney's General Office, and Public Defender's Office, a committee to implement oral trial procedures was created and work to prepare oral trial facilities was initiated. The first two oral trial courtrooms have been established; one in Cartagena and one in Cali. In addition, 67 key figures within Colombia's justice sector participated in oral procedure training programs at the U.S. National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.
To provide a more effective public defense system, USAID worked with the National Ombudsman's Office to strengthen it both organizationally and operationally. A management system was designed and implemented at the Public Defender's Office (located within the National Ombudsman's Office), and an action plan was developed for strengthening it. The target of having the plan initiated and a personnel system implemented was not achieved because of delays in the selection of a new National Ombudsman. However, it is anticipated that this benchmark will be achieved in FY 2001.
Working with the Ministry of Justice, during FY 2000, four additional justice houses were established and a diagnosis of equity conciliators was performed. As a result of these activities, access to justice has been significantly expanded to marginalized and impoverished communities. To date, 15 justice houses have been established. On average, each justice house handles - free of charge - over 150 cases daily, thereby resolving those that might otherwise have added to the current backlog of three million cases pending resolution in the formal judicial system. Overall, more than 100,000 users were served in justice houses throughout Colombia in the last year, exceeding the target of 80,000.
In the area of human rights, in FY 2000, USAID provided training to 30 investigators of the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor General's office and to 861 Public Defenders involved in human rights cases. Moreover, it worked to strengthen the administrative structures of the Human Rights Units of the Prosecutor General's Office and the Attorney General's Office by providing these entities with needed technical equipment such as computers and communications systems. USAID also supported the design of the communications strategy and the creation of the Human Rights Observatory within the Office of the Vice President. In conjunction with the National Ombudsman's Office, USAID developed a program in which 84 officials from the Ombudsman's Office were trained in human rights promotion techniques. These officials then trained 1,700 community leaders throughout the country. Additionally, in FY 2000, USAID worked closely with key Colombian governmental entities on human rights abuse detection and prevention, protection of human rights workers, and the provision of effective responses to violations. These include the National Ombudsman's Office, the human rights unit of the Prosecutor General's Office, the Attorney General's Office and the Vice President's Office. (The Vice President also serves as the Government of Colombia's (GOC) High Commissioner for Human Rights). For example, USAID initiated efforts with the National Ombudsman's Office to develop a human rights early warning system as a means of preventing massacres and forced displacement. The development of this system is being closely coordinated with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the Vice President's Office and various civil society organizations.
Although USAID provided significant support to GOC institutions, in FY 2000 USAID also worked with several Colombian NGOs. USAID provided support to a prominent Colombian NGO, allowing it to conduct a thorough study on the evolution of the armed actors in Colombia and also helped key local organizations strengthen their human rights data banks. Moreover, USAID worked with a Colombian non-governmental organization to provide peaceful coexistence training to citizens of the afflicted Magdalena Medio region. Similar training was also undertaken in other areas of the country with women and children. In addition, USAID has worked with a Colombian NGO to disseminate kidnapping prevention methods and techniques to high-risk populations.
Performance and Prospects: It is anticipated that performance in these areas will continue to be strong. By the end of FY 2001, USAID projects that four new justice houses will be established and six new oral trail courtrooms will be created, bringing the total number of justice houses to 18 and of oral facilities to eight. These two activities will greatly enhance citizen access to justice and significantly accelerate legal procedures in Colombia. The additional justice houses will allow over 100,000 impoverished and marginalized Colombians to resolve their disputes legally and the ongoing support for the transition to an accusatory system of law will help reduce the current backlog of approximately three million cases still pending resolution before the Colombian court system. Moreover, by the end of 2001, a modified public defense system that can provide stronger and more opportune service will be designed.
With respect to USAID's human rights activities, the foundations for the establishment of an early warning system administered through the National Ombudsman's Office will be completed and the monitoring and evaluation system for the human rights protection program administered through the Ministry of Interior will also be fully developed. The successful establishment of the early warning system will significantly help reduce massacres and forced displacement in Colombia, while the protection program will enhance the ability of human rights workers, journalists, and others under threat to conduct their duties under more secure conditions. In FY 2001, USAID will also continue to support the activities of several local and regional organizations devoted to conducting human rights activities in Colombia, and it is expected that a statutory law on fundamental rights will be passed by Congress in FY 2001. This statutory law will regulate the application of the fundamental rights established in the 1991 constitution.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: In June 2000, USAID received approval for a new five-year strategic plan (FY 2000-2005). Under the new strategic plan, this current objective was expanded to include new results relating to local governance, anti-corruption, civil society strengthening and support for the peace process and renamed "Promote More Responsive, Participatory, and Accountable Democracy". As a result, in the future, USAID will no longer report on justice and human rights activities as a separate strategic objective, but rather the results will be included in the new, expanded democracy objective (514-007).
Other Donor Programs: The World Bank is supporting justice activities through programs with the Superior Judicial Council and the Inter-American Development Bank is providing funding to strengthen justice institutions at the local level.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: Management Sciences for Development is the primary U.S. contractor under this objective.
Colombia 514-001
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97
(Actual)FY98
(Actual)FY99
(Actual)FY00
(Actual)FY00
(Plan)FY01
(Plan)FY02
(Plan)Indicator 1: Information on key justice issues effectively communicated to the community. NA Pilot, human rights, conflict resolution, and civic education courses developed: Y Courses introduced to communities directly and through Houses of Justice: Y N Draft of civic education curriculum approved. This curriculum will be incorporated at pilot municipal secretaries. Civic education courses integrated into school curricula. NA Indicator 2: Increased number of users attended at the Houses of Justice. NA 164,000 81,000 100,000 80,000 85,000 90,000 Indicator 3: Public Defender Office strengthened organizationally and operatively. NA Training unit established in the PDO: N Training program in operation; design of institutional strengthening plan completed; design of public defense personnel system completed: Y Y Actions of institutional strategic plan initiated; personnel system implemented. Design of modified public defense system providing a more opportune defense service. Modified public defense service implemented. Indicator 4: Norms mandating oral procedures at trial stage institutionalized. NA Judicial school restructured: Y Oral regulations developed and approved by the Superior Judicial Council (SJC). Regulations incorporated into judicial school training: N N Important aspects of a modified criminal procedure code identified and agreed upon by the SJC and passed by Congress. Major modifications of the criminal procedure code implemented in 60% of the circuit courts. Modifications of the criminal procedure code implemented in 80% of circuit courts. Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S)or(IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: S Introduction of new information program. Steps achieved:Y=yes; N=No NGOs carrying out civic education programs This indicator measures the extension of human rights, conflict resolution and civic education programs. Indicator 2: IR Number of users receiving services from the Houses of Justice. Ministry of Justice and Law - Depart. of Prevention and Conciliation. This indicator measures the number of users who receive justice services at the Houses of Justice. Indicator 3: IR Steps in the process of reorganizing the Public Defense Office. Step reached: Y=yes; N=no. Public Defender's Office To provide a more effective public defense system, a reorganization process will be implemented in order to offer a more stable and broader service. Toward this objective, a training unit will be created in the Public Defender's Office and the system by which the service of public defense is provided will be modified. Indicator 4: S Steps in the process of institutionalizing modern trial practices. Steps reached: Y=Yes; N=No Superior Judicial Council This indicator measures the process of incorporation of effective and proven trial practices into the courts. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 39,801 ESF 34,169 ESF 5,632 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 3,999 ESF 3,851 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 43,800 ESF 38,020 ESF 5,780 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 43,800 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
