Reforming and modernising the judicial system in Jordan

Context

Regional crises continue to take a toll on Jordan, also affecting the performance of the judiciary. Despite these challenges, Jordan has been undergoing a substantial judicial reform process since 2011. This has included amending one third of the constitution, establishing a Constitutional Court, as well as amending a series of laws in response to recommendations by the Royal Committee for Developing the Judiciary and Enhancing the Rule of Law. The latter stressed the importance of digitalising the judiciary to decrease the backlog of court cases and foster public trust in the system. The European Union (EU) initiated a Budget Support Programme to support these judicial improvements, with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH providing technical assistance to enhance the criminal justice chain. In line with the restorative justice approach, the reform of the criminal justice enforces non-custodial alternatives which provide better prognoses for the re-socialisation of offenders and helps to reduce overcrowding in Jordan’s prisons. Overcrowding has negative impacts on the physical and mental health of prisoners. This is particularly the case with drug-addicted inmates who have special health and care needs and require treatment to become clean.

Objective

Jordan’s judiciary is successfully designing non-custodial sanctions and providing treatment and rehabilitation to drug-addicted inmates in prisons.

Approach

The project facilitates the reform process in three main areas:

Supporting the digitalisation of the criminal justice sector by developing and providing training on data protection guidelines. The project also promotes the use of video technologies in criminal proceedings (remote trials) and advanced statistical and data analysis programmes (SPSS). Judicial employees receive training in effective communication, and learn how to improve customer service and interaction with citizens

Enhancing the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug-addicted inmates in prisons by developing treatment and rehabilitation programmes for them. Training is also provided to prison officers, while rehabilitation activities for inmates include dialogue sessions, art therapy and psychodrama. This is rounded off by the development of a national aftercare strategy

Promoting the enforcement of non-custodial alternatives to imprisonment through capacity building for judges and liaison officers of the Ministry of Justice. This is augmented by activities to raise public awareness about the issue and by developing new types of alternative sanctions

Last update: October 2021