Project profile — Strengthening the Capacity of Haitian Criminal and Security Institutions

The project aims to strengthen the rule of law and stability in Haiti. It provides support to Haitian institutions to enable them to make evidence-based decisions regarding the key issues of public safety and criminal justice. To this end, the project strengthens these institutions’ capacity to collect, analyze, share, produce, archive and strategically use evidence-based data. Project activities include the following: (1) two series of workshops to improve the collection, management and use of evidence-based and gender-specific data as well as reporting by the institutions; (2) a symposium enabling the Haitian institutions to present their strategic reports to a target audience; (3) the creation of a common Internet site providing the evidence-based and gender-specific data and reports published by the institutions.

The expected results of this project are increased use, by the public and Haitian criminal and security institutions, of evidence-based and gender-specific data and reports generated by these same institutions.

Results achieved at the end of the project (July 2019) include: (1) improved participants’ skills in collecting, managing and using evidence-based and gender-specific data to support public decision making, with 78% (11 out of 14) symposium and workshop participants reporting enhanced capacity; (2) drafted 6 institutional reports, demonstrating increased accountability; and (3) enabled 2 organizations to use evidence-based data and publish reports to implement public action. This includes the Bureau des Droits Humains (Human Rights Office) in Haiti creating a research hub and revising its mediations monitoring approach. Similarly, Haiti’s Direction de l'Administration Pénitentiaire (Prisons Administration Directorate) influenced the Government Commissioner at the Civil Court of First Instance in Port-au-Prince to modernize operations by applying the report’s recommendations. This includes implementing evidence-based management through weekly file distribution to assistant prosecutors and systematic follow-up.