New technology will be introduced into Dominica’s court systems soon.
As the new law year officially opened today, Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) Hugh Rawlins has drawn attention to several new technological schemes to be introduced within Dominican and other OECS courtrooms.
Rawlins, who presented an address through simulcast to mark the opening of the law year this morning, said that a Judicial Enforcement Management Systems (JEMS), video conferencing technology and electronic jury manager, are some of the programs to be introduced, all in an effort to increase the efficiency and timeliness of dealing with court matters.
E-filing and interactive voice response technologies and court recording technology are other advances to come on stream, Rawlins said.
Rawlins said that under the JEMS system “the ability of the IT department to provide remote support, data access for analysis and backups in the event of a disaster, have been greatly advanced”.
He also said that this system will permit judicial officers to better manage cases electronically and would lessen the need to handle physical cases files.
Rawlins said JEMS training for judges, masters, magistrates and court officer staff will be ongoing.
He cited a major drawback of that aspect to be the frequent transfer of court clerks after being trained, forcing the court to continuously train new staff.
Rawlins also mentioned video conferencing advancement in which bail applications and other hearings will be done through that facility. He said equipment for this is already being installed in some OECS member states.
The introduction of court recording equipment is expected to address the issue of tedious and time-consuming use of the notebook by judicial officers, Rawlins said.
The High Court of St. Vincent and the Grenadines have already introduced digital recorders in their court rooms.
I would go even further and promote good technological practices in police stations to record evidence and for taking statements and recording formal interviews with prisoners so that there is integrity and traceability of evidence.
Electronic tagging is another idea that is abundant outside Dominica and which could help to alleviate the overcrowding of prisons.
What about computer systems to improve scheduling of cases to enable trials to be brought before the courts more speedily?
In the background we still have to begin considering video evidence to enable witnesses to be better protected and facilitating evidence from young children being given in open court.
Lots of modernising to catch up on.
Yeah, agreed…
But how is all that technology going to discourage crime?
Technology is good but we need plain old harsher punishment…
Way to go, Your Honour. When do we start building the Halls of Justice in Dominica on High Street in order to accomodate new technology into the justice system, Mr PM?