Research and Policy Directorate
BACKGROUND
The KJA Research Directorate was established in the year 2016 by the Judicial Service Commission as a judiciary-based applied research unit. We strive to achieve rigorous standards of quality, objectivity, transparency and research excellence.
MISSION
The primary mission of the Research and Policy Directorate is to assist the courts’ management and to enhance the efficiency, quality and functioning of the judicial system by supplying policymakers with the results of objective, empirically-based, analytic research.
GOVERNANCE
The Directorate reports directly to the Director of the Academy. The Directorate is headed by the Deputy Director in charge of Research and Policy who oversees the activities of the Directorate and prioritizes its research agenda. Presently, the Deputy Director is assisted by a Portfolio Lead and Secretariat Team. In the proposed KJA Organisational Review, we will have a Research Manager, Policy Analysts and Legal Researchers to complement the Secretariat Team.
METHODOLOGY
Our research combines standard social-science quantitative and qualitative methodologies, together with comparative legal research and in-depth legal analysis of data from all levels of our court system. We strive to develop methodologies specially tailored to the empirical study of judiciaries. Our data is collected using a variety of techniques and sources, such as questionnaires and interviews with judges, magistrates, court administrators and academicians, field-based observations of court processes, and data from the courts’ case management system. In addition, KJA has access to original databases that incorporate information on criminal and civil proceedings.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Our research includes examination and analysis of policies, procedures and rules, as well as evaluation of potential policy reforms. Some examples of our research include, inter alia, the Incidence of Case Backlog and appropriate Criteria for Judicial Performance Evaluation. We have as well developed curricular, numerous training manuals and bench books.ie.
Completed Programmes
Ongoing Programmes
Court Administrators Handbook and Curriculum
Judiciary Employee Orientation Manual
Judges and Magistrates Orientation Manual
Court Process Servers Handbook and Curriculum
Bench Book on Environment and Land Matters
Elimination of Case Backlog Strategy
Tool for Evaluation of Judicial Trainings
A Handbook for Training Judicial Trainers
Justice Needs and Satisfaction Survey
Handbook for Kadhis Courts
Rules of Practice and Procedure in Kadhis Courts
Judicial Performance Evaluation Tool
Tool for Monitoring and Evaluation of Trainings
Methodology for Training of Judicial Trainers
Curriculum for Training at JTI