Technical Assistance to the Criminal Justice Chain in Jordan

The regional crises continue to take a toll on Jordan. The influx of Syrian refugees and the protracted nature of the regional crises have pushed the country’s absorptive capacity to its limits, also affecting the performance of the judicial system. In spite of these challenges, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has undergone a substantial judicial reform process since 2011, including the amendment of one third of the constitution, the establishment of a Constitutional Court, and the amendment of a series of laws to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Committee for Developing the Judiciary and Enhancing the Rule of Law.  

However, despite the substantial progress of judicial reforms, there is still need for further reforms in the justice system. Thus, in 2019 the European Union commenced a Budget Support Programme to Support the Rule of Law in Jordan, aiming to strengthen GoJ’s commitment to enhance the effectiveness, transparency, accountability and accessibility of the rule of law in Jordan. In that context, the German Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) was commissioned to provide technical assistance to the Jordanian beneficiaries enhance the criminal justice chain.

The technical assistance provided by the EU funded GIZ project “Technical Assistance to Support the Criminal Justice Chain” aims at improving the efficiency and transparency of criminal justice proceedings and strengthen alternative penal and rehabilitative measures in Jordan. To fulfil this overall objective, the project pursues four specific objectives (SO):

§     SO1 – Enhanced management of cases through access to electronic information systems

§     SO2 – Increased execution and outreach on the enforcement of judicial orders and judgements

§     SO3 - Improved quality of treatment programmes and rehabilitative measures in CRCs

§     SO4 – Reinforced use of non-custodial alternatives to imprisonment

OP1: Stakeholders of the (criminal) justice sector have enhanced their capacities and knowledge on the use of e-justice information and communication systems

OP2: Training module and handbook on the use of videoconferencing and documenting video hearings developed and shared

OP3: Institutional and operational plan of Communication Unit at Judicial Execution Department designed

OP4: Assessment and action plan for gradually increasing execution rate developed

OP5: Two types of treatment programmes to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug-addicted inmates

OP6: Action Plan for rehabilitation and reintegration of high-risk offenders (HROs) is designed and shared with PSD and other relevant stakeholders

OP7: Institutional guidelines and human capacities of Community Sanction Department at MoJ enhanced

OP8: Stakeholders of the justice sectors have enhanced their capacities and knowledge on non-custodial sanctions.

OP9: Increased awareness of citizens of two governorates for benefits of alternative sanctioning

The Public Security Directorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Judicial Council