IDB Experience in Justice Reform
February 12, 2003
Some Background on IDB Support for
Justice Sector Reform
• IDB support for modernization of justice systems initiated
with region-wide conference in 1993 entitled Justice in
Latin America and the Caribbean in the 1990s: Challenges
and Opportunities. The conference galvanized interest in
justice system reform drawing upon IDB support.
• Document approved by the IDB’s Board of Directors in
1994 authorizing the Eighth General Increase in Resources
identified modernization of the state as a key area of
activity and endorsed assistance to countries’ efforts to
promote strengthening and modernization of the judicial
system.
Background….
1996 IDB Board approved the document Frame of Reference
for Bank Action in Programs for Modernization of the
State and Strengthening Civil Society. It recommends Bank
involvement in justice sector reform encompassing civil
and criminal law and entailing actions in diverse areas.
• law reform and promotion of civil and human rights
• justice administration strengthening
• legal aid and civic education; access to justice
• alternative methods of conflict resolution
• development of human resources in justice sector
• infrastructure
• promotion of citizen security
Background…
The document provided general guidelines but left room for the
Bank to respond to the needs and demands of countries in a
range of justice reform areas.
Support in the sector based on broad mandate from IDB charter
of supporting social and economic development but also
more specified mandates related to values (democracy,
human rights, etc.) thought to be associated with
development of countries in the region.
Background…
New Modernization of the State Strategy under consideration
of Board of Directors explicitly identifies as priority areas
of action for the IDB:
•
the consolidation of the democratic system
•
•
the establishment of the rule of law
enhancing institutions at the foundation of a dynamic and
competitive market economy,
•
strengthening public management and policy-making capabilities
The needs and demands of the region’s countries are farreaching in the justice sector due to needs to enhance
investment climate and the growth of the market economy,
reduce pervasive social inequalities; fight problems of
growing crime and violence and persistent corruption,
strengthen protection of human/civil rights, and establish a
democratic rule of law.
Violent crime and crime in general is a serious and
growing problem in the region.
Homicides/100,000 Persons, 1970-1999
25
20
1970-74
15
1975-79
1980-84
1985-89
1990-94
10
1995-99
5
0
OECD
LAC
Rest of World
United Nations. Fifth, Sixth and Seventh United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal
Justice Survey.
But, clearly the severity of the problem of violent crime varies
greatly across the region
Intentional Homicides in the 1970s and 1990s
Guatemala
El Salvador
Colombia
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Venezuela
Mexico
1999-2000
1990-94
1970s
Bahamas
Brazil
Costa Rica
Barbados
Argentina
Ecuador
Trinidad &Tobago
Uruguay
Chile
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
United Nations. United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Survey. 5th, 6th and 7th
Surveys.
Percentage of Men and Women Victimized by Violent
Crimes Over Five Years in Urban Areas, 1989-96
Asia
Western Europe
Central and
Eastern Europe
violence (males)
violence (females)
New World
Africa
Latin America
0
2
4
6
8
10
Source: United Nations. Global Report on Crime and Justice. 1999.
12
14
16
Percentage of the Public Victimized by Any
Crime in Urban Areas, by Region, 1989-96
Asia
Western Europe
Central and Eastern
Europe
New World
Africa
Latin America
0
10
20
30
Source: United Nations. Global Report on Crime and Justice. 1999.
40
50
60
70
80
Crime in general appears to be increasing in majority of
countries in recent years
(% of Respondents Claiming Themselves or Family Member Victimized by Crime in Previous Year)
80
70
60
50
1996
40
2001
30
20
10
0
MEX ECU VEN PER BOL ARG GTM HND NIC PRY SLV CHL PAN BRA COL CRI URY Spain LAC
Source: Latinobarómetro, 1996 and 2001
Corruption is also a pervasive problem whose solution depends
at least partly upon reform in the judicial sector
Absence of Corruption
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
HIC
CEE
EA
MENA
LAC
Source: Kaufmann, Kraay, and Zoido-Lobatón, 2001.
SSA
CIS
SA
Property rights, impartial contract enforcement, respect for
laws, fair treatment by the state not well-established
Rule of Law
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
HIC
MENA
CEE
EA
Source: Kaufmann, Kraay, and Zoido-Lobatón, 2001.
LAC
CIS
SSA
SA
The problems of corruption and deficient rule of law are of different
magnitudes across the region; judicial reform needs and strategies vary
Absence of Corruption
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
Source: Kaufmann, Kraay, and Zoido-Lobatón, 2001.
EC
U
CR
I
BH
S
U
RY
TT
O
BL
Z
SU
R
BR
A
PE
R
JA
M
D
O
M
M
EX
SL
V
A
RG
CO
L
PA
N
G
U
Y
V
EN
H
N
D
G
TM
BO
L
N
IC
H
TI
PR
Y
CH
L
0
Rule of Law
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
Source: Kaufmann, Kraay, and Zoido-Lobatón, 2001.
H
N
D
H
TI
A
RG
G
U
Y
D
O
M
PA
N
BR
A
JA
M
BO
L
M
EX
PE
R
SU
R
SL
V
EC
U
CO
L
N
IC
V
EN
PR
Y
G
TM
CR
I
TT
O
CH
L
BR
B
BH
S
BL
Z
U
RY
0
In most countries citizens have little confidence in the
judicial system
(% who express they have “a lot” or “some” confidence in judiciary)
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
Y
op
e1
98
4
PR
Eu
r
GT
M
EC
U
R
PE
NI
C
CR
I
CH
L
PA
N
SL
V
HN
D
CO
L
M
EX
BO
L
AR
G
BR
A
VE
N
UR
Y
0.0
Source: Latinobarómetro, 2001; Eurobarometer 21, April 1985.
Judicial Independence
The judiciary is independent and not subject to interference by the govt. or parties
to dispute (1=strongly disagree; 7=strongly agree)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Source: World Economic Forum, 2001
EE
W C
or I
ld S
A
ve
.
C
C
R
I
C
H
L
TT
O
B
R
A
D
O
M
SL
V
M
EX
C
O
L
PA
N
A
R
G
PR
Y
G
TM
N
IC
EC
U
H
N
D
B
O
L
PE
R
V
EN
LA
C
H
IC
EA
U
R
Y
0
Judicial Corruption
The judiciary rarely accepts irregular payments (1=strongly disagree;
7=strongly agree)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
CHL
BRA
COL
ARG
SLV
MEX
VEN
PER
ECU
BOL
LAC
HIC
Source:
World
Economic
Forum,
2000. World Economic Forum, 2001
Source:
World
Economic
Forum,
2001
EA
CEE
CIS
World
Ave.
Property Rights
Property Rights are clearly delineated and protected by law
(1=strongly disagree; 7=strongly agree)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
URY CHL
CRI
ARG BRA
TTO JAM PAN MEX
SLV
COL DOM
PER
VEN
BOL GTM HND ECU
Source: World Economic Forum, 2001. World Economic Forum, 2001
NIC
PRY LAC
HIC World
Ave.
In some countries case backlogs and delays are an important
problem (Clearance Rate (Resolved Cases/Filed Cases) Ave. 1995-1996)
Ecuador
Ukraine
Colombia
Hungary
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Panama
Brazil (Brasilia)
Chile
Singapore
Germany
Peru
France
0
20
40
60
80
Source: Maria Dakolias. Court Performance Around the World. 1999
100
120
Congestion Rate (Caseload/Resolved per year)
Colombia
Singapore
France
Germany
Peru
Ukraine
Hungary
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Chile
Brazil (Brasilia)
Panama
Ecuador
0
200
400
600
800
Source: Maria Dakolias. Court Performance Around the World. 1999
1000
1200
IDB Supported Justice Investments by Approval Year, 1994-2000
200
180
160
Millions of US$
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Justice System, Violence Prevention and
Citizen Safety Loans and TCs
(Until June 2001)
Total Project Amount
(Millions US$)
Total IDB
Number of
Amount
Projects
(Millions US$)
Loans
418
274
18
TCs
43
36
65
Total
461
310
83
Substantive Areas Addressed
Civil Law Reform (32/83 projects)
Constitutional Law; Real Property Law; Commercial Law; Labor Law; Consumer
Protection Law; Administrative Law and Review
Access to Justice (32/83 projects)
Public defense and legal aid offices; access to lawyers; justices of the peace, firstlevel trial courts; small claims courts; civic education about justice institutions
and processes and civil rights; ADR
Criminal Justice Reform (19/83 projects)
Training in implementation of new criminal procedure codes; strengthening public
prosecutor’s and attorney general’s offices; drafting crime-prevention policies;
rehabilitation programs; information systems; juvenile justice reform (juvenile
courts; rehabilitation, job training); violence prevention programs
IDB Investment by Substantive Area
Other
6.4
21.3
Violence
Prevention
GENERAL
CRIMINAL AND
HUMAN RIGHTS
39.1
GENERAL ADMIN
OF CIVIL JUSTICE
Juvenile Justice
7.3
ADR
ACCESS
TO JUSTICE
4.5
21.5
IDB Supported Investment for Institutional
Strengthening
8.4
3.0
29.5
18.7
General
Management
Policy
Formulation
Training
Infrastructure
7.7
20.2
12.6
Information
Systems
Support NGOs
Other
Level of Investment by Type of Reform
Process (% of Total Funds)
2.1
1.3
5.0
Institutional
Strengthening
Law Reform
91.6
Consensus
Building, Project
Preparation
Research,
Seminars,
Conferences
IDB support extends to most countries of region focusing
in diverse areas (US$ Millions)
Regional
Venezuela
Uruguay
Trinidad and Tobago
Peru
Paraguay
Panama
Nicaragua
Mexico
Honduras
Access to Justice
Guyana
General Criminal and Human Rights
General Admin. Of Civil Justice
Guatemala
El Salvador
Ecuador
Dominican Rep.
Costa Rica
Colombia
Chile
Brazil
Bolivia
Argentina
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90