Justice Sector Strengthening Project Quarterly Report (October 1 – December 31, 2014)

The project's Work Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 was approved by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in September 2014 and was updated and discussed with counterpart institutions. Close collaboration and ongoing dialogue between the JSSP and various Government of El Salvador (GOES) counterparts, including the Executive Technical Unit (UTE) of the Justice Sector Coordinating Commission, the National Civil Police (NCP), the Supreme Court (SC), the Public Defender's Office (PDO), and the Attorney General's Office (AGO), as well as civil society organizations (CSO) and other counterparts, contributed to the project's progress. The JSSP made progress in strengthening, monitoring, and assessment activities related to the Community Policing Model (CPM) in the ten municipalities where it is currently implemented. The project also advanced in the implementation of two new Rapid Response Units (RRUs) in the Usulután and San Marcos departments, as well as a new Domestic Violence Initiative (DVI) unit in Supreme Court facilities in Chalatenango. In addition, the JSSP established a shelter in Sensuntepeque and created two new Specialized Institutional Units for Attention to Women in Situations of Violence (UNIMUJERs) in Cara Sucia and Chalatenango in collaboration with the NCP. Inter-institutional collaboration was further strengthened with the consolidation of four new Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) in Santa Ana, Chalchuapa, Sonsonate, and Ahuachapán. The creation of the JITs involved a systematic effort to train attorneys and police officers in the use of the Joint Manual of Investigative Procedures (MIP). This effort will contribute to reducing impunity by strengthening the work carried out by district attorneys, police, and forensic doctors. The JSSP staff continued to provide technical assistance to the AGO, PDO, and Judicial Training School (JTS). The project also supported the development of a new curriculum for the JTS, which will provide training for judges, prosecutors, and police officers on topics such as human rights, evidence-based investigation, and community policing. The JSSP's efforts to strengthen the justice sector in El Salvador are expected to have a positive impact on the country's ability to investigate and prosecute crimes, as well as to improve the overall administration of justice. The project's progress in the first quarter of 2015 was marked by significant advances in all three technical components: Component 1, Component 2, and Component 3. Component 1 focused on criminal justice reform, including the strengthening of training schools, leadership and change management programs, and improving criminal investigations. Component 2 focused on judicial transparency, including the strengthening of the Illicit Enrichment Law (IEL) and the investigation of corruption. Component 3 focused on citizen participation, host country ownership, and windows of opportunity, including the establishment of citizen participation mechanisms and the development of a host country ownership strategy. The JSSP's progress in the first quarter of 2015 was also marked by the establishment of new partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, the private sector, and international organizations. These partnerships are expected to contribute to the project's overall goals and objectives, including the strengthening of the justice sector in El Salvador and the improvement of the overall administration of justice.