The role of data in criminal justice administration cannot be overlooked. As part of the Greater Access to Defense and Justice (GADJET) project in partnership with PartnersGlobal and Partners West Africa-Nigeria (PWAN), New-Rule has taken the lead to develop an automated case management system (CMS) as part of the sustainability architecture of the first Public Defender’s Office (PDO) in Kano State, Nigeria. New-Rule provided technical support to PDO officers to design, implement, and upgrade CMS where needed to track data for criminal, civil, and sharia cases. Among the factors tracked were the average days in pre-trial detention, latest court date, status of adjournment, and access to legal representation. The CMS enables legal clinicians and lawyers to also manage, among other things, case initiation, scheduling, document generation and processing, accounting, case disposition and closing.

Given the overwhelming rise in Nigeria’s pre-trial detention population, we cannot afford to let detainees slip through the cracks. The CMS ensures no one is forgotten and informs both legal practitioners and correctional officers where resources are needed most.

PDO Staff were able to use the data housed in the CMS to draw comparisons and conduct statistical analysis of cases to paint a picture and tell a larger story about access to justice in Nigeria. Public and verifiable data can lead to better decisions, more accountability, and increased trust in government institutions administering justice. For this reason, New-Rule has been involved in training staff and developing manuals for the PDO to improve their capacity to identify, collect, and manage data for evidence-based client and program advocacy. Data is a foundation for dialogue to ensure justice systems work for everyone, which is why establishing an automated case management system at the PDO is as timely as ever.