1. Justice Budget Monitoring Project
Project Aim, Scope and Approach
6 November 2007

2. Background OSF commissioned study
Map policies and decisions
How they are operationalised
Whether they are funded
What impact on criminal justice system
Study on the 2007/8-9/10 Budget Framework
Study Commission in September
Inception Report due this week (draft distributed)
Identify central spending areas and issues (demarcation and focus)
Thin analysis
Data issues
Final report early January with dissemination programme before February Budget

3. Approach and Scope Public Expenditure Review of DoJCD Vote Scope
Effectiveness and efficiency of spending
Links between policy and budget, budget and implementation and budget and service delivery
Assessment of budget management systems against findings of expenditure study
Scope
Inception report proposes that study should focus on spending areas that are important for
Access to Justice
Criminal Justice System delivery
Rule of Law
Current MTEF, but also backward looking
Inception Report proposes 2004/5 (2003/4 where possible) to 2009/10

4. Method Identify objectives and spending priorities Review funding
Main budget revenue and donor support
Spending trends
Growth, shares, deviation against policy at different levels and for classification categories
Effectiveness and efficiency
Relationship between financial and non-financial indicators
Discussion on indicators
Main budget and service delivery management issues

5. From priorities to service delivery: First Clues
Inception research show linkages between national and sector priorities
Translated into many initiatives on the ground in programmes funded by Vote
Little shift in spending shares over time
To be expected given number and spread of priority programmes/initiatives
But generally link between priorities and spending
But, what is link between funding and implementation
Significant variance and shifts from over to underspending
Additional requests that in retrospect may be hard to justify given funds available within Vote
Underspending against final allocation
Audit qualifications
And implementation and service delivery?
Court efficiency and case flow management (backlogs, case cycle time)
Monies in Trust
IT systems: do they work? Are they the right systems?

6. Proposed central spending issues
General
Deeper look at links between increased spending and inputs and service delivery
Underspending? Why? Where is problem in budgeting system? Where are examples of aligning policy, budgets and capacity better in the Vote?
Distribution between and of capital and recurrent spending against priorities.
Specific
Court performance and efficiency, case flow, case flow management and coordination between agencies
Access to justice from a spatial and vulnerability group perspective
Master’s Office
Investment in court, prosecution and legal aid systems
Human resource management and operational efficiency
Spending on IT and operational efficiency
Spending on systems to manage MIT

7. Way forward Workshop Main study (final report 15 January)
Stakeholders consultation
Focus area discussion (trade-off between breadth and depth)
Date?
Main study (final report 15 January)
Dissemination