From July 2006 to April 2014, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI) Strengthening the Criminal Justice System program worked to enhance Ecuadorian lawyers’ understanding of an adversarial criminal justice system. While the country had transitioned from an inquisitorial criminal justice system to an adversarial one, the professional culture remained tied to the older system and practitioners lacked the skills the new system required. ABA ROLI’s program supported the transition by training the legal community, police, judges, and prosecutors in adversarial criminal procedures. In addition, the program provided input on legislative reforms; supported implementation of a new computerized court management system; and conducted training sessions in specialized areas, including financial crimes and human rights. The program grew to include study tours for the country’s major-crimes task forces and an adversarial system course for law students. The program was funded by the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the US Embassy in Quito.
As a complement to the training sessions, ABA ROLI conducted study tours for Ecuadorian justice sector officials. Several delegations have visited the federal and state criminal courts in Texas, Puerto Rico, and California—observing trials, meeting with local prosecutors, police, attorneys and judges, and receiving training in the investigation and prosecution of cases in US courts. Two groups of Ecuadorian judges, prosecutors, and defense lawyers traveled to Puerto Rico in 2005 and in 2008 to witness how an accusatorial legal system can function in a Spanish-speaking, Latin American setting. During the week-long tours, the participants met with Puerto Rican counterparts and witnessed various court proceedings, including arraignments, pre-trial hearings, and trials. The tours concluded with a seminar in Ecuador on ways to improve the collection of evidence in criminal cases. Moreover, ABA ROLI provided technical assistance on legislative issues, including input on proposed modifications to existing laws, suggestions on new procedural and substantive laws, and advice on best practices. We also supported the development of training curricula for both the judiciary and law schools.