Justice Sector Strengthening Activity Quarterly Report (January 1 – March 31, 2016)

The JSSA's activities were facilitated by the appointment of new high-level justice sector authorities, including the Attorney General of the Republic, the Director of the National Civilian Police, and the Minister of Justice and Security. However, other key positions remained vacant, including the Public Defender, Director of the Executive Technical Unit, and Director of the Forensic Medicine Institute. The JSSA provided technical assistance to draft an Annotated Criminal Procedure Code, which will serve as an educational reference for justice sector operators. The Project also held workshops to review and update regulations governing the Victims and Witness Protection Program. Additionally, the JSSA supported the training schools of the Attorney General's Office, Public Defender's Office, and National Judicial Council, providing courses on orality techniques, case theory, use of evidence, and human rights of women. To improve criminal investigations, the JSSA established the thirteenth Joint Attorney General's Office/National Civilian Police Investigation Team in La Libertad to coordinate investigation processes. The Project also provided technical assistance to improve evidence handling protocols and procedures, including remodeling a new evidence storage area in police facilities in Cuidad Delgado. Furthermore, the JSSA supported a study by the United Nations Development Program on the judicial system's effectiveness in investigating and prosecuting cases, which found that a low percentage of cases are prosecuted and even fewer result in convictions. The JSSA also advanced a range of activities with local civil society organizations, including the Fundación la Niñez Primero, Salvadoran Institute for the Integrated Protection of Childhood and Adolescence, and Asociación Déjame Ayudarte, Sendas para la Mujer. The Project provided technical assistance to these organizations to strengthen their capacity to work with justice sector institutions and promote citizen participation in the justice sector. In the National Civilian Police, the JSSA carried out a series of five workshops on Human Rights, Ethics, and Use of Force. The Project also conducted an inter-institutional workshop to review the National Civilian Police's use of force policy, with the goal of creating a unified institutional directive to allow the police to conduct itself in a more transparent and responsible manner. Additionally, the JSSA provided input to the new Police Information and Operations Center regarding its mission and functioning, its organization and structure within the National Civilian Police, and its implementation of several policies and manuals. The JSSA continued to support the implementation of the Public Defender's Office's revised criminal procedures, which were developed with JSSA technical assistance. The Project held workshops to disseminate the new procedures and monitor their implementation. Overall, the JSSA's activities during the second quarter of FY 2016 contributed to the strengthening of the justice sector in El Salvador, with a focus on improving criminal investigations, promoting judicial transparency, and enhancing citizen participation.