The adoption of a new criminal procedures code (CPC) in the Dominican Republic is bringing about institutional and organizational transformation needed to modernize the country’s judicial sector. Through Proyecto de Justicia de USAID, DAI is helping the Dominican Republic’s justice institutions implement the new CPC by providing assistance in policy making, administration, and operations management

DAI works with key justice sector institutions (judiciary, prosecutor, public defender, and police) to improve service delivery and upgrade human resource capacity. DAI is supporting the creation of a locally owned strategic plan for the justice sector and will support reform champions at all levels. We are also providing appropriate training and mentoring on the duties and responsibilities of justice sector operators under the CPC, and helping to improve key elements of the justice process.

Simultaneously, DAI is working to ensure that the public has greater access to information about the justice sector. DAI is helping to increase the capacity of civil society organizations to comment on justice sector issues and provide system oversight. Through a grant program, DAI is ensuring that the community-level Casa de Justicia program – which seeks to improve access to justice – is fully evaluated, and supporting efforts to sustainably institutionalize and expand the program.

Implementation strategies include collaborating with participatory working committees to develop and then advocate for technical and training approaches; using data-based management to ensure that process improvements are measured quantitatively; coordinating with other programs’ efforts to strengthen civil society participation; and communicating the activities of the USAID project throughout the justice system.