CAMBODIA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE PROJECT
PHASE I (1997-2002)
PHASE II (2002-2007)
PHASE III (2007-2012)
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
The Cambodia Criminal Justice Assistance Project (CCJAP) was designed in consultation with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGOC) between 1994 and 1996.
CCJAP Phase I – April 1997 – March 2002
Phase I of CCJAP was a program of technical assistance to the Judicial Police, Courts and Prisons service. The goal of the Project was to improve the operational, managerial, institutional and human rights conditions within the criminal justice system of Cambodia. Ten full-time Australian and a number of short time Advisers were engaged on the project working in Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham, Kompong Chhnang, Kompong Spue, Kampot and Prey Sar.
Outputs achieved included the development of Police, Courts and Prison procedures and conduct of formal and on-the-job training in all sectors including investigations training for Judicial Police, training for Judges and Court Clerks, training for Prisons Officers and Prison Health officers. To assist with the implementation of procedures, support was provided with infrastructure and equipment as follows:
Construction of two new Judicial Police Headquarters (Kampot and Kompong Spue), one new Court House (Kompong Chhnang) and renovation of five prisons at Prey Sar, Kampot, Kompong Spue, Kompong Cham and Kompong Chhnang. Minor works were also undertaken at Kandal Police Training Centre and for police and courts buildings in Kompong Chhnang and Kompong Cham. Equipment provided included 21 motor vehicles, 24 motor cycles, radio communications, office furniture, computers, photocopiers, stationery and other minor items. Medical supplies and funds for vocational and education training was provided to 5 prison sites.
Australian funding for the Project totalled $A 12.5 million.
CCJAP Phase II – May 2002 – May 2007
Phase II of CCJAP was completed after five years of support from May 2002 to May2007. This phase addressed crime prevention and community safety, improving investigation capacity of police and courts with the development of a new Courts Handbook, juvenile justice and victims practices, the development of prisons Corrections Management System, Strategic Plan and budgeting process to improve prisoner health and rehabilitation with support to the judicial police with investigations training. The focus of activities has been at the national level within the Ministries of Interior and Justice and at Kandal Province. A Team of six full time Australian Advisers, supported by short term personnel were engaged on the Project with twelve local staff. Implementation has been supported by both infrastructure and equipment and has included:
Construction of a new Court and Prison and renovation of the Prosecutor’s building at Kandal. Health clinics have been upgraded at Correctional Centre’s 1 and 2 at Prey Sars and new rainwater collection systems installed in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Equipment has included provision of 5 motor vehicles for the police, courts and prisons and office furniture to fit out the new Court and Prison. Danish Aid funded the procurement of furniture at Kandal Court at a cost of $US 50,104. Medical supplies and funds for prisoner rehabilitation and vocational and education training have also been provided.
Australian funding for Phase II totalled $A 18 million.
CCJAP Phase III – February 2007 – February 2012
Phase III of CCJAP commenced on 5 February 2007 with a 5 month developmental period. The project commenced full operations on 1st July, 2007. Building on the successes of Phases I and II, Phase III will continue to support the development of service delivery in Police, Prisons and Courts but expanded its role both geographically and in terms of commencing work to connect the supply of service delivery to the demands of the community for more efficient law and justice services.
Juvenile justice, women and disadvantaged groups along with anti-corruption are also the primary focus areas for the current Project
This phase fully supports the implementation of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s own National Strategic Development Plan and Legal and Judicial Reform Strategy. The Project builds upon the earlier Phases and its activities focus significantly on: institutional strengthening and training of the Cambodian National Police, the General Department of Prisons, the Ministry of Justice and Courts and the General Secretariat for the Council for Legal and Judicial Reform.
Component 1: Legal and Judicial Reform Strategy Support
In order to assist RGOC with the implementation of its reform agenda, the project has assisted in improving the capacity of the General Secretariat for Legal and Judicial Reform in areas of stakeholder facilitation, reform management and monitoring. Common planning across the sector has been promoted with the development and use of the Planning Guide for Justice Sector Institutions. Activities have worked towards improving both RGOC and Development Partner adherence to the principles of aid effectiveness and to engender improved participation in the broader RGOC Rectagular Strategy.
Component 2: Crime Prevention and Community Safety
In particular the project is strengthening community engagement in the government-community collaborative design, prioritisation, budget allocation and implementation of crime prevention and community safety activities with the project’s six partner provinces of Kandal, Prey Veng, Battambang, Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Cham. This activity has a real focus on sustaining collaborative crime prevention and community safety initiatives established and improving community safety in targeted Districts where the project has employed a phased-in approach of: sub-national police, government and community collaboration to implement and manage crime prevention and community safety initiatives (priority for women, children, youth and other vulnerable people) and prioritised according to the District Priority Activity Matrix. CCJAP annually funds approximately USD$500,000 to these initiatives. In excess of 300 Crime Prevention and Community Safety initiatives have been funded and implemented. Approximately 6000 beneficiaries have received direct support from the projects with 60% of beneficiaries being women and approximately 20% young people. Activities are based on the objective of achieving sustainability that includes strengthening existing government systems, use of financial frameworks; and, the development of systems that support monitoring and evaluation. There is excellent support provided to the crime prevention and community safety initiatives by the Cambodia National Police. Activities are contextually and culturally aligned to differing communities, being geographically spread across at this stage 15 Districts (and growing) within those partner provinces.
Component 3: Police
Cambodia National Police activities have included the development and establishment of a National Police Strategic Plan, Business Plans and performance measurement systems to manage reform implementation for results; development of police forensics capacity to reduce reliance on uncorroborated testimonies and increase community confidence in the police; the development of draft legislation (Police Act) intended to restructure the organisation and raise transparency and accountability for service delivery; the establishment of a Gender Working Group, Gender Mainstreaming Activities and awareness raising to improve treatment of women within the organisation and community.
A key priority of the National Police Strategy is the development and implementation of a Cambodia National Police Crime Prevention and Community Policing Strategy, a community policing model for police posts at the sub-national level within the project’s six partner provinces and performance measurement systems to enable analysis of crime trends and subsequent policy development and National expansion of the Crime Prevention and Community Policing Strategy. These priorities are being implemented through project activity effort that focus on training, awareness, technical and financial support to establish and strengthen Community Policing principles and strategies by shifting police thinking and effort towards more community oriented policing in partnership with the community.
Component 4: Ministry of Justice and Courts
There has been a a strong focus on providing technical inputs to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Justice to effectively support the courts in delivering equitable and timely access to justice. In particular, the project has assisted the ministry to develop a strategic plan and to improve internal management of resources. The core areas of focus for services under this component include strategic justice and courts issues; executive capacity development; the model courts pilot project (also supported by DANIDA), enhanced court processes; enhancement of the systems and process of the Appeal Court and dissemination of legal information.
Component 5: Corrections
Technical support is also provided to the General Department of Prisons in the fields of prison health and prison management to strengthen the strategic and executive capacity of the Department to enable it to identify and respond to prison management priorities, the physical and mental health needs of prisoners; to identify and implement options for prison reform, and support to legislative drafting of a new law on corrections. The core areas of focus for services under this component include strategic correctional issues; executive capacity development; prisoner health; rehabilitation and prison reform. Some achievements in this area include implementation of the action plans to progress the draft Corrections Law and Royal Decree on the Separate Status of Prison Guards; progressing gender action plans through the Gender Working Group; development of strategic plans, and scoping of all capital works with pilot initiatives using prison labor which have proven very successful.
Additionally support has been provided in implementing services to prisoner health with prison health posts now being equipped to a minimum standard as determined by the Department of Health. Of note is the excellent working relationship that had developed between non-government organizations (NGO) and the General Department of Prisons in improving rehabilitation and reintegration programs in prisons. These programs have not only proven beneficial to prisoners, but also to prison staff, police and prosecutors that have been provided the opportunity to undertake community awareness programs. Much of the specific rehabilitation programs for women prisoners have been through NGO from Flexible Support Fund grants.
Component 6: Project Management
A Flexible Support Fund has been established which is used to fund emerging priorities directly linked to achieving project objectives. The fund has a capital works element which has funded small to medium scale initiatives that have a demonstrated impact on prisoner health, juvenile justice or other vulnerable groups. The fund has also been used to accept funding from the Danish Government in their support to the Model Court initiative. Conversely the fund is also used as a mechanism to disburse grants to other agencies, both government and non government, which can implement targeted initiatives that directly support project objectives. To date approximately USD $ 3,000,000 has been allocated to capital works within police, courts and prisons, USD $ 4,000,000 to non capital works USD $ 500,000 to non-government organizations in funding activities.
Australian funding for the Project totalled $A 30 million.
