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Workshop assessments for the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial School in Colombia.

Workshop assessments for the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial School in Colombia.

Between 2018 and 2022, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) implemented the Building Better Justice: Strengthening Judicial Training program in Colombia. The program sought to strengthen the capacity of the Rodrigo Lara Bonilla Judicial Training School (JTS) in addressing Colombia’s criminal justice challenges and the needs of a diverse judicial system. A strong judicial training model provides proper judicial training by identifying the learning needs of judges and judicial officials, implementing training processes based on these needs, and then evaluating the internal processes and training-related results. This contributes to a better justice system and reduces impunity. However, the JTS has not been able to implement such a judicial training model, nor do they have the qualified personnel necessary to ensure proper judicial training. The program was funded by the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. 

The program was designed to support host country partners in enhancing access to judicial education opportunities for Colombian judges and court personnel. Specifically, the program focused on improving the JTS' administration of judicial education with respect to criminal law, which includes more than 5,400 judges and 25,800 court personnel who make up the Colombian judicial system. Drawing on a previous baseline evaluation on judicial training, ABA ROLI examined the JTS’ operational infrastructure, curricula, and the needs for training aids. This assessment, adapted from numerous judicial training assessments conducted by ABA ROLI, provided a comprehensive analysis of JTS’ strengths and challenges and identified opportunities for our program to address the needs. 

The program also produced many tools that the Judicial School will be able to use in the future such as: a profile of the ideal trainer; tools related to e-learning; tools to make evaluations in levels 1, 2 and 3 of the KPM; methodology for the construction of a budget based on results; and an array of performance indicators. 

The program conducted in-depth courses for sitting Colombian judges in the thematic areas of money laundering, corruption, and drug trafficking, drawing the participation of judges from all over the country, particularly from departments with greater occurrences of these crimes. Likewise, judges were trained in ethics, judicial independence, and judicial administration to support them as they carry out their managerial duties in their offices. 

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