DISCLAIMER: This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI for the Improving Effectiveness of State-Level Justice Institutions Activity, contract number 72523020C00001.
DISCLAIMER: This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI for the Improving Effectiveness of State-Level Justice Institutions Activity, contract number 72523020C00001.
PROGRAMA PARA EL FORTALECIMIENTO DE INSTITUCIONES DE JUSTICIA PENAL ESTATAL (CONJUSTICIA) QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT QUARTER 1 | FISCAL YEAR 2
Contract number: 72523020C00001
Activity Start and End date: July 24, 2020 – July 23, 2025
Total Cost: $29,050,089
COR: Alejandro Juárez Muñoz
Submitted by: Leonardo Escobar, Chief of Party DAI
7600 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 200 Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA Tel: +1 301 771-7600 Email: [email protected]
Date: January 28, 2022
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2021
ACRONYMS
100DC 100-Day Challenge
AG Attorney General (Fiscal General)
AGO Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General del Estado)
CLA Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting
ConJusticia Programa para el Fortalecimiento de Instituciones de Justicia Penal Estatal
COSEP Evaluation Committee for the Criminal Prosecution Policy (Comité de Evaluación y Seguimiento de
la Política de Persecución Penal)
CPP Criminal Prosecution Policy (política de persecución penal)
CSO Civil society organization
FY Fiscal Year
GBV Gender-based violence
GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
GIAN High-Level Interinstitutional Group (Grupo Interinstitucional de Alto Nivel)
IMM Institutional Maturity Model
LMIJP Mexican Laboratory for Criminal Justice Innovation (Laboratorio Mexicano para la Innovación en
Justicia Penal)
MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
MELP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan
JAVA USAID Mexico’s Acceso a la Justicia para Víctimas y Acusados (JAVA) Program
PEA Political Economy Analysis
PREVI USAID Mexico’s Prevención y Reducción de Violencia (PREVI) Program
TWP Thinking and Working Politically
USAID United States Agency for International Development
Y1 Year 1
Y2 Year 2
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Activity name Programa para el Fortalecimiento de Instituciones de Justicia Penal Estatal (ConJusticia)
Activity start and end date
July 24, 2020 – July 23, 2025
Activity Purpose
The purpose of the ConJusticia Activity is to improve the effectiveness and accountability of state-level criminal justice institutions, increase citizen confidence, and reduce impunity in targeted Mexican states.
Activity Description
ConJusticia supports institutions that play a key role in the continuous improvement of the criminal justice system at the state-level, such as State Attorneys General Offices and State Courts, and facilitates collaboration between justice sector institutions and the private sector, academia, bar associations, and civil society organizations as well as the general public. These efforts are directed towards achieving three objectives:
1. Individual state justice institutions are stronger and more effective, particularly in prosecuting high priority cases;
2. Coordination and collaboration are improved between institutions and local actors across criminal justice systems;
3. Sustainable partnerships with diverse actors (including civil society, academia, and the private sector) are built that contribute to citizen co-responsibility.
This report covers the period from October 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021.
Geographic Areas
Target states include Chihuahua, Coahuila, Hidalgo, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, and Zacatecas. Guanajuato and Querétaro are allied states.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
2. CONTEXT ANALYSIS 5
3. INDICATOR PROGRESS 7
4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND OVERALL STATUS 8
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY STATE 8
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY OBJECTIVE AND INTERVENTION 14
CROSSCUTTING ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES 18
5. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT 21
6. LESSONS LEARNED 22
7. FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS REPORT 24
8. ANNEXES 25
ANNEX 1. INDICATOR SUMMARY TABLE 26
ANNEX 2. SUCCESS STORY 29
ANNEX 3. CONJUSTICIA’S GESI STRATEGY ONE-PAGER 31
ANNEX 4. CONJUSTICIA’S GESI ACTIVITY TRACKING TABLE 32
ANNEX 5. UPDATED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 34
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
During the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal year (FY) 2022, ConJusticia detected political shifts in many target states that affected implementation. The Activity advanced swiftly in implementation in Coahuila due to particularly enabling conditions while also making significant progress in Sonora and Nayarit. Conditions have been relatively amenable in Hidalgo and Chihuahua, despite an ongoing transition to an autonomous Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in Hidalgo and the transition to a new State Court President in Chihuahua. The Activity reduced and at times paused implementation in the states of Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí due to lack of political will and a transition in leadership in the AGO, respectively. High rates of violence in Zacatecas have also prompted the Activity to pause travel to the state, while still advancing in virtual modalities. Within this context, ConJusticia adapted its implementation and made proactive efforts to advance whenever possible. For instance, the Activity held sessions to develop political relationships based in trust with institutional leadership in the State Courts in Nuevo León and Chihuahua, and the AGO in San Luis Potosí. As a result of these conversations, the Activity expects to reinitiate implementation during the following quarter. Furthermore, the Activity has actively coordinated efforts with USAID Mexico partners like JAVA and PREVI to optimize resources and provide more comprehensive support to justice sector institutions. These efforts demonstrate ConJusticia’s high level of adaptability and flexibility when implementing in complex and adverse circumstances. ConJusticia made significant progress in the following areas during the reporting period:
4 target states advance in the design and implementation of Criminal Prosecution Policies (CPP)
with diverse local actors: State AGOs in Sonora, Coahuila, Nayarit, and Zacatecas advanced in establishing prioritization frameworks to provide differentiated attention to specific crimes within CPPs. This was the result of a participatory process involving civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, and businesses during design and implementation, and will lead to accountability and proper crime resolution. Moving forward, these AGOs will focus on implementing the CPPs upon establishing committees in charge of monitoring and following-up on their application (COSEPs), beginning with Sonora. Fortis Consultoría, a member of ConJusticia’s Consortium, provided direct technical support to advance in all four CPPs. (Task 1.1.1)
3 target states complete their strategic state-level Communication Plans based on focus groups
and a user-centered approach: State AGOs and Courts in Sonora, Coahuila, and Nayarit developed communication narratives and key messages, including state-level communication plans with a GESI approach. These plans are based on the findings of nine focus groups with justice sector stakeholders. (Task 1.5.1)
23 ongoing investigations were submitted to the National Registry of Stolen and Recovered
Vehicles by a multidisciplinary team who participated in a Task Force: Prosecutors specializing in property crimes were involved in this effort. The second Task Force was formed by Prosecutors specializing in sexual crimes to address crimes against privacy, successfully arrested a key suspect linked to the distribution of digital material with intimate content. (Tasks 2.1.2)
OBJECTIVE 1 Stronger, more effective individual institutions
OBJETIVO 2 Collaboration among strategic actors in the criminal justice system
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Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal Justice establishes its methodological foundations:
The Laboratory drafted a methodology and developed a prototype of the digital platform it will use to curate and exchange innovations across local justice systems that improve access to justice with a user-centered approach. Coordinated by Documenta, A.C., the Laboratory serves as a mechanism for the creation and dissemination of innovative solutions that transform local justice systems in Mexico. (Task 3.1.1)
3 CSOs specializing in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in 3 target states selected to
receive grants: Asociación Progreso para México, A.C. (PROMEX); Educación y Ciudadanía, A.C (EDUCIAC); and Red Mesa de Mujeres de Ciudad Juárez, A.C. will strengthen local justice systems, promoting equal access to justice for women, girls, and groups in vulnerable situations. PROMEX will establish the first Observatory on Justice and Gender in Nayarit. EDUCIAC will strengthen a Citizens’ Co-responsibility Counsel within the AGO of San Luis Potosí. Red Mesa will strengthen a Court specializing in Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua by improving interinstitutional coordination and establishing an operating protocol. (Task 3.1.3)
Additional results are presented in Figure 2.
OBJECTIVE 3 Sustainable partnerships among diverse stakeholders linked to the criminal justice system
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Figure 2. ConJusticia’s Key Results in Q1 FY2
2. CONTEXT ANALYSIS
New leadership in justice sector institutions resulting from mid-term elections in July 2021 caused significant shifts in the political terrain of the Activity’s target states, which affected policies in areas of public security and justice, adding to already complex circumstances due to COVID-19. In addition, developments related to organized crime have exacerbated in several target states, particularly Zacatecas. Key factors to consider in the context of ConJusticia’s target states include:
Out of all of the Activity’s target states, Coahuila has the most enabling conditions and will not experience a change in institutional leadership this year.
6 out of 8 of ConJusticia’s target states (Nayarit, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Nuevo León) experienced important transitions in political leadership that also caused changes in state-level policies, budgets, and political relationships with local actors.
Nevertheless, these challenges have presented an opportunity for ConJusticia to carry out scenario planning to identify possible ways to respond to different outcomes and ultimately create new relationships with key actors.
These findings have informed the Activity’s ongoing process of Thinking and Working Politically (TWP). Figure 3 provides further detail on the political context in each of the Activity’s target states that shaped implementation during this quarter.
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Figure 3. Context Analysis of ConJusticia’s Target States
3. INDICATOR PROGRESS
ConJusticia completed a preliminary baseline study this quarter, including the establishment of five proxy indicators using open-source data to fill information and data access gaps with target justice institutions. Baselines of zero were established for most Activity performance indicators and a report is being prepared for submission to USAID in the next quarter. Please consult Annex 1 for more information.
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4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND OVERALL STATUS
Highlights of the first quarter of FY2 included the following advances: 4 states make progress with their Criminal Prosecution Policies (CPPs): Coahuila, Nayarit, and
Zacatecas advance in the design of CPPs through a participatory process, while Sonora will begin implementation of its CPP following a transition related to the election of a new governor.
2 states improve capacities in block scheduling: Coahuila and Hidalgo develop models for block scheduling through tailored technical assistance.
Collaborative relationships generated with multisector actors in 5 states: New collaboration and exploratory sessions with local justice stakeholders in Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, and Hidalgo.
Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal Justice establishes its foundations: The Laboratory established a methodology and digital platform to document, disseminate, and exchange information on innovations for the transformation of Mexico’s criminal justice system.
3 CSOs selected to strengthen local justice systems with a GESI perspective in Chihuahua,
Nayarit, and San Luis Potosí: PROMEX will establish the first Observatory on Justice and Gender in Nayarit. EDUCIAC will strengthen a Citizens’ Co-responsibility Counsel within the AGO of San Luis Potosí. Red Mesa will strengthen a Court specializing in Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua by improving interinstitutional coordination and establishing an operating protocol.
The following section highlights these and other key accomplishments by state.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY STATE
SONORA Progress in Sonora resulted from technical support to strengthen case prioritization within the AGO. With a CPP already in place, Sonora’s AGO received tailored technical assistance to implement tools for prioritizing cases related to criminal structures and gender-based violence. The Attorney General (AG) also advanced in the creation of a Specialized Investigation Unit for Criminal Structures. ConJusticia proposed starting a pilot to prioritize crimes including fraud, robbery, identity theft, vehicle theft, home robbery, and local criminal structures. This specialized unit will soon begin operations. Regarding GBV, the AG designated Sonora’s Special Prosecutor for Femicides to coordinate with ConJusticia on technical support for the implementation of a prioritization tool to guide prosecutors in the identification of high-priority cases of GBV against women and girls. The Special Prosecutor provided initial feedback on ConJusticia’s proposed tool and made plans to pilot the tool and further adapt it to Sonora’s specific context. ConJusticia will collaborate with the USAID Justice Access for Victims and the Accused (JAVA) project to further refine the GBV prioritization tool. In addition, the Special Prosecutor will continue to strengthen the operation of the Three-Level Case Distribution Model, commonly known as Tres Pisos, within the AGO so that all criminal cases involving violence against women and girls are addressed accordingly.
ConJusticia staff met with the Attorney General of Sonora on
November 25, 2021 in a session to establish a work plan for
tailored technical assistance for the upcoming year.
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Finally, as part of ConJusticia’s efforts to support target justice institutions to share information and communicate with justice system users, the Activity conducted a series of focus groups with Consortium partner Metropolitan Group to test communication narratives and key messages with both justice operators from the AGO and system users. When developing narratives, the AGO and system users maintained inclusive language and prioritized values-based messaging. These key narratives seek to engage with users to increase transparency and citizen trust in justice institutions and the criminal justice system as a whole, and form part of a customized communication plan under development by ConJusticia. The state-level communication plans also lay out proposed communications activities and campaigns with specific target audiences outlined for each narrative and activity, addressing all key stakeholders with a focus on user-centered justice.
COAHUILA ConJusticia worked closely with Coahuila’s AGO over the course of 2021 to draft the state’s first CPP. This participatory process included a series of roundtable discussions involving state and non-state actors, such as representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations, and academia, who came together to identify the state’s highest priority criminal cases and phenomena. Coahuila’s CPP will prioritize high-impact crimes including robbery, drug trafficking, femicide, and other forms of GBV. Participants emphasized the need to include agreements reached through participatory roundtables that informed the CPP as annexes to the document and provided valuable recommendations on the process of drafting the CPP. ConJusticia will incorporate the AGO’s feedback and observations into the document prior to final approval, while continuing to strengthen the operation of Coahuila’s Tres Pisos Model to ensure criminal cases are channeled appropriately within the institution prior to CPP implementation. Based on the results of the Institutional Maturity Model (IMM) assessment, the Activity developed tailored technical assistance plans for the State Court to address areas of opportunity in court efficiency, information management, data analysis as well as transparency and accountability. ConJusticia proposed a pilot of a new monitoring and evaluation tool for hearing deferral rates in State Courts. Furthermore, the State Court established a Judges’ Committee to streamline and standardize judicial criteria and strengthen institutional coordination. Ultimately, the Committee and the application of the monitoring and evaluation tool will contribute to the harmonization of jurisdictional criteria to improve coordination and make more strategic, evidence-based decisions. The pilot of the new monitoring and evaluation tool will be implemented in regional Criminal Justice Centers in the judicial districts of Saltillo and Torreon. These regional centers are State Court district offices and courtrooms specializing exclusively in criminal cases (as opposed to family or civil law cases). This expansion provides greater access to justice for populations residing outside of the capital and contributes to more specialized attention to users depending on the nature of the case. ConJusticia also engaged operators from the AGO and State Court through focus groups with Metropolitan Group to test communications narratives and key messages with both operators and justice system users.
ConJusticia met with representatives of the Universidad Autónoma del Noreste de
Coahuila on September 30 to generate political will and institutional buy-in for
future collaboration with key stakeholders of the local justice system.
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ConJusticia is further refining and adapting key communication messages to each target state by integrating the feedback gathered from focus groups. The proposed messages will be included in Coahuila’s customized strategic communications plans for both the AGO and the State Court, which outline further communications activities and plans that ConJusticia will continue to support over FY2. Both institutions are expected to begin implementing their respective plans in February 2022. NAYARIT ConJusticia began laying the groundwork for Nayarit’s first CPP in 2021, conducting an exploratory assessment based on a series of roundtable discussions with state and non-state actors representing diverse stakeholders within the local criminal justice system. This political dialogue continued into the first quarter of FY2, with ConJusticia facilitating a series of in-person working sessions with representatives of public and private sector institutions, including the State Secretariat of Internal Affairs, the Public Security Secretariat, and the prominent business association COPARMEX.1 These sessions were dedicated to introducing the strategic objectives and benefits of a CPP for actors beyond justice sector operators, such as public-private alliances that participate in participatory development in the state. This is particularly relevant given the state’s change in Governor, as it will ensure that he is able to establish ties with the public and private sectors as well as civil society as he transitions into leadership. ConJusticia will continue to involve the actors mentioned above as well as other local leaders in the participatory policy development process set to launch in the next quarter. During this quarter, ConJusticia continued supporting two Task Forces launched in Tepic – one on cybernetic fraud in vehicle resale and another on crimes against privacy – and a 100-Day Challenge focused on domestic violence conducted in Bahia de Banderas. The Task Force addressing cybernetic fraud in vehicle resale reported that they successfully identified information on vehicles involved in twenty-three ongoing investigations that were uploaded to the National Registry of Stolen and Recovered Vehicles. Furthermore, 8 information requests were sent to the National Banking and Securities Commission to determine the owners of the bank accounts of potential key suspects involved in the investigations. The second Task Force, addressing crimes against privacy, successfully arrested a key suspect linked to the distribution of digital material with intimate content (commonly known as “packs”). The suspect is now in pretrial detention and prosecutors on the Task Force plan to offer a plea bargain for his cooperation in related investigations. ConJusticia will continue to support the sustainability of these Task Forces and monitor future results. Finally, the state AGO and State Court participated in focus groups to test communications narratives and key messages with both justice operators and system users. Participants provided valuable observations on the need to find a balance between what their institutions aspire to offer users versus what they can currently guarantee in terms of justice services. They confirmed that the lack of knowledge among citizens about criminal justice processes and proceedings contributes to the perception of impunity, underscoring the need for messaging to be user-centered and easy to understand. ConJusticia is now refining the proposed messages and is collaborating with partner Metropolitan Group and designated point people within Nayarit’s AGO and State Court to finalize
1 Confederación Patronal de la República Mexicana, https://coparmex.org.mx/.
ConJusticia facilitated a series of in-person working sessions with representatives of
Nayarit’s State Secretariat of Internal Affairs, Public Security Secretariat, private
sector representatives, and other local justice stakeholders from December 14-17
to generate institutional buy-in for future collaboration.
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customized strategic communications plans for both institutions. In the following quarter, the state’s AGO and State Court will begin implementation.
HIDALGO ConJusticia worked with State Court leaders to provide a tailored work plan for technical assistance based on IMM results. Following the application of the IMM assessment tool, participants crafted a tailored work plan for institutional strengthening based in criteria of impact, cost, time constraints, and their own institutional capacity. In areas of judicial management, the State Court improved hearing scheduling by establishing more efficient institutional processes. To inform this process, the Activity facilitated a virtual working session with court administrators from 6 judicial districts across Hidalgo to identify current bottlenecks and areas of opportunity in hearing scheduling, highlighting the unique characteristics of each district. During the session, ConJusticia shared an overview of best practices in what is commonly known as “block scheduling,” and also made specific recommendations to address some of the issues described by administrators. For example, administrators identified the need to categorize by type of hearing (initial, intermediate, or oral trial) and by type of crime to identify similar hearings that can be addressed in blocks by assigning the same courtroom, judge, prosecutor, and public defender in a defined timetable, thus increasing efficiency. The session also highlighted the advantages of eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy in court hearings to reduce hearing deferrals. For example, the State Court can remove the requirement that assigns exclusive case jurisdiction to a single judge and instead assign cases to the next available judge regardless of who oversaw previous hearings. Other recommendations included scheduling simple hearings in the mornings and more complex hearings in the afternoon to balance workloads and increase the number of scheduled hearings in a day. Next quarter, ConJusticia will continue to support court administrators on block scheduling and provide further technical assistance based on the agreed work plan and schedule, starting with the implementation of improved judicial management models.
On October 19th and 20th, ConJusticia facilitated an in-person
meeting with representatives of Hidalgo’s State Court to establish
a tailored work plan for institutional strengthening and
collaboration.
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ZACATECAS
Zacatecas made significant progress in the initial design stages of its first CPP. The AGO established an action plan to generate a participatory process for the design and implementation of the CPP over the coming year. Throughout the design process, which will continue into next quarter, the AGO has prioritized the participation of academia, civil society, and the private sector in addition to public institutions. Additionally, the AGO formally established a CPP Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (known by the Spanish acronym COSEP), which will play a key role in operationalizing the CPP once it is finalized.
CHIHUAHUA ConJusticia facilitated a series of in-person working sessions with representatives of the AGO, Public Security Secretariat, Chihuahua’s State Secretariat of Internal Affairs, State Congress, and other local justice system stakeholders. Following a change in leadership within the State Court, ConJusticia relaunched its collaboration beginning with political discussions to generate buy-in from the new President, particularly with regard to the participatory process to develop the state’s first Criminal Prosecution Policy (CPP). Also, the Attorney General expressed his commitment to collaborate with ConJusticia and agreed to begin applying the Institutional Maturity Model (IMM) to identify areas of opportunity for tailored technical assistance. Representatives of Chihuahua’s private sector, civil society, and academia broke new ground in establishing multisector partnerships for justice sector strengthening through a series of in-person meetings facilitated by ConJusticia in November. Private sector groups that met with ConJusticia included COPARMEX,2 FECHAC,3 FICOSEC,4 and CCE.5 Civil society organizations included Centro de intervención en Crisis Alma Calma A. C.,6 Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres A.C.,7 Justicia para Nuestras Hijas A.C.,8 Justicia, and Género y Buenas Prácticas A.C. (MUKIRA).9 Finally, ConJusticia also met with representatives of local universities, including Chihuaha’s Autonomous University (UACH),10 Tecnológico de Monterrey’s Chihuahua campus (ITESM),11 and Universidad Regional del Norte Chihuahua (URN).12 At each session, ConJusticia shared its systemic vision for citizen co-responsibility, inviting local non-state actors to participate in the development of the CPP. Participating representatives expressed their unanimous
2 Centro Empresarial de Chihuahua (COPARMEX), http://www.coparmexchihuahua.org/. 3 La Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuense, A.C. (FECHAC), https://fechac.org.mx/. 4 Fideicomiso para la Competitividad y Seguridad Ciudadana (FICOSEC), https://ficosec.org/. 5 Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (CCE), https://www.ccechihuahua.com.mx/ 6 Alma Calma, A.C., https://www.almacalma.org/. 7 Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres A.C., https://cedehm.org.mx/es/. 8 Health and Human Rights Info, https://www.hhri.org/es/organisation/justicia-para-nuestras-hijas/. 9 Mukira, https://mukira.org/. 10 Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, https://uach.mx/. 11 Tecnológico de Monterrey, campus de Chihuahua, https://tec.mx/es/chihuahua. 12 URN Universidad, http://www.urn.edu.mx/.
ConJusticia facilitated an in-person meeting with Zacatecas’
Attorney General’s Office to initiate the participatory design
process of the State’s first Criminal Prosecution Policy on
November 11, 2021 in Zacatecas City.
ConJusticia staff met with the Attorney General’s Office of
Chihuahua on November 10, 2021 to generate a
collaborative relationship and institutional buy-in for future
collaboration.
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support for improving access to justice and were eager to collaborate with the project. ConJusticia will follow-up with each organization and continue to promote multisector partnerships in support of upcoming initiatives.
NUEVO LEÓN
The Activity facilitated a series of in-person working sessions in Monterrey with representatives of the AGO, State Court, and State Department of Internal Affairs (Secretaría General de Gobierno) to officially present the program and foment institutional buy-in for upcoming program initiatives. Specifically, ConJusticia offered to support the strengthening of the state’s preliminary CPP, involving the participation of multiple local actors to include their perspectives and recommendations. Given that ConJusticia now has the authorities’ approval to launch activities, implementation is expected to move along favorably in future quarters. ConJusticia also established 3 new connections between private sector and civil society representatives to establish multisector partnerships for justice sector strengthening. These exploratory conversations complemented those described above and were held with prominent private sector group FEMSA13, civil society organizations ¿Cómo vamos Nuevo León?14 and Red Nacional de Organizaciones Civiles a favor de los Juicios Orales y Debido Proceso. At each session, ConJusticia shared its systemic vision for citizen co-responsibility, inviting local non-state actors to participate in the program’s planned initiatives, including the possible CPP design process. While further collaboration in the upcoming quarter will be determined in part by the willingness of justice sector institutions, ConJusticia will remain in contact with the abovementioned organizations and keep them apprised of activities and developments in the state. SAN LUIS POTOSI Despite months of political upheaval following the state’s recent elections and subsequent changes in public institutional leadership in the AGO, ConJusticia established working ties with the newly appointed Attorney General of San Luis Potosi this quarter through political dialogue. The Activity also engaged with other local justice and private sector actors to generate institutional buy-in for planned initiatives. For instance, ConJusticia conducted an exploratory meeting with representatives of San Luis Potosi’s chapter of the business association COPARMEX and made initial contact with key state authorities, including the Governor, Mayor of the capital city, and Director of the State Commission for Human Rights. Having established working relationships with these key actors, next quarter the Activity will apply the Institutional Maturity Model (IMM) assessment in the AGO and State Court to begin identifying opportunities for tailored technical assistance.
13 Fomento Económico Mexicano, https://www.femsa.com/es/. 14 Cómo Vamos Nuevo León, http://www.comovamosnl.org/.
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY OBJECTIVE AND INTERVENTION
Intermediate Result (IR) focus on building the capacity of State AGOs and Courts through five key interventions. Major achievements
of the period are described below:
Intervention 1.1 Improved capacity of AGOs to prioritize cases based on criminal prosecution prioritization frameworks
Task 1.1.1 Develop Prioritization Frameworks
Task 1.1.2 Collaborate to Finalize Frameworks
Four target states advance in the design and implementation of
Criminal Prosecution Policies (CPP) with diverse local actors
State AGOs in Sonora, Coahuila, Nayarit, and Zacatecas improved capacities by advancing in the creation of a prioritization framework for specific crimes based in a participatory process involving CSOs, academia, and businesses. These CPPs will improve accountability and crime resolution with a differentiated approach. As part of this process, Conjusticia facilitated a participatory assessment of criminal prosecution priorities and provided tailored technical support to these four AGOs in the design of their CPP. The four AGOs also prioritized citizen participation when defining priorities as well as the strengthening of citizens’ knowledge on strategic criminal prosecution.
Intervention 1.2 Internal processes and management of AGOs and Courts strengthened
Task 1.2.1 Support State AGOs to reallocate resources and streamline workloads to improve management
Task 1.2.2 Support courts to improve workloads in judicial proceedings
Two states with improved judicial management & Judges
Committees for strategic coordination
The State Courts of Saltillo, Coahuila and Hidalgo advanced in the integration of Committees of Judges and the implementation of a model for block hearing scheduling. These results are part of a comprehensive strengthening plan based on the findings derived from the Institutional Maturity Model (IMM) assessment facilitated by ConJusticia, which also seeks to strengthen areas of data use and analysis, strategic communication, and transparency and accountability. ConJusticia proposed a series of activities which were then prioritized together with leaders of the State Courts. ConJusticia's activities for the next quarter include the pilot of a new tool to monitor and evaluate rates of hearing postponement and their causes. Furthermore, Regional Criminal Justice Centers in the judicial districts of Saltillo and Torreón will also establish Judges Committees to streamline and standardize judicial criteria and strengthen institutional coordination. These Regional Centers are district offices and courtrooms of the State Courts that specialize only in criminal cases.
4 target states advance in design and implement
CPP
Sonora, Coahuila, Nayarit, and Zacatecas
2 target states improved judicial management &
Judges committees
Coahuila and Hidalgo
OBJECTIVE 1 Stronger, more effective individual institutions
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Intervention 1.3 Capacity of AGOs to investigate and prosecute high-priority crimes strengthened
Task 1.3.1 Support AGOs to develop guidelines for investigation of high-priority crimes
Task 1.3.2 Build the technical capacity of prosecutors to successfully prosecute high-priority crimes
Task 1.3.3 Assist prosecutors to improve their capacity to use data for analysis and investigation of complex criminal cases and trends.
15 state AGO operators from Nayarit, Nuevo León, Durango,
Mexico City, and other states developed capacities in the design and
implementation of investigation plans through peer-to-peer
exchange. Upon presenting a general overview of the investigation plan and methodology and experiences of local prosecutors of Coahuila’s and Nayarit’s Task Forces, operators identified the need to utilize investigation plans and corresponding methodologies to improve coordination through Task Forces. ConJusticia will continue to promote this methodology in target states as well as peer-to-peer exchanges to improve the design and use of investigation plans. This initiative was carried out in collaboration with CEEAD (Centro de Estudios sobre la
Enseñanza y el Aprendizaje del Derecho, A.C.) as part of its CEJUME (Certificación
para la Justicia en México) encounter, which is funded by the INL.
Intervention 1.4 Improved data tracking and analytics capacity of AGO and State Courts to better manage and resolve high-priority cases.
Task 1.4.1 Enable AGOs and State Courts to better collect, use, and maintain data.
Task 1.4.2 Support prosecutors to utilize tools for information management and sharing.
Chihuahua’s State Court advanced in the automatization of data
management processes and the systematization of information. The institution also identified areas of opportunity to link more than ten databases and integrate key variables with a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) approach. Moving forward, the State Court will develop a script based in the open-source software R to improve the automatization of the connection of these databases.
Intervention 1.5 Improved communication, transparency, and accountability of justice sector institutions through proactive engagement with users and the public.
Task 1.5.1 Justice system actors must be able to communicate more effectively and respectfully with justice system users, such as providing updates to victims and defendants to keep them informed of progress in their cases.
AGOs and State Courts in three target states complete their strategic
state-level Communication Plans. These plans are based in the findings of nine focus groups with justice sector users, State Attorneys General Offices and Courts in three target states (Sonora, Coahuila, and Nayarit) developed communication narratives and key messages that comprise state-level communication plans with a GESI approach. These plans will be implemented next quarter with ConJusticia’s technical assistance.
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Under this IR, ConJusticia promote a more enabling and collaborative environments within local systems and generate more effective
coordination, strengthening the connections between justice sector and non-state actors through change management mechanisms. Major
achievements of the period are described below:
Intervention 2.1 Strengthened mechanisms for interinstitutional collaboration
Task 2.1.1 Build trust and increase collaboration to address quick-impact goals through 100-Day Challenges.
Task 2.1.2 Support consolidation of multi-stakeholder collaboration frameworks to implement prosecution goals and forge sustainable partnerships.
23 ongoing investigations were uploaded to the National Registry of Stolen
and Recovered Vehicles following the implementation of a Task Force.
During this quarter, ConJusticia continued supporting two Task Forces launched in Tepic – one on cybernetic fraud in vehicle resale and another on crimes against privacy – as well as a 100-Day Challenge focused on domestic violence in Bahia de Banderas. The Task Force addressing cybernetic fraud in vehicle resale successfully identified information on vehicles involved in 23 ongoing investigations, which were subsequently uploaded to the National Registry of Stolen and Recovered Vehicles. Furthermore, Task Force participants sent eight information requests to the National Banking and Securities Commission to determine the owners of the bank accounts of potential key suspects involved in the investigations. The second Task Force addressing crimes against privacy successfully arrested a key suspect linked to the distribution of digital material with intimate content (commonly known as “packs”). The suspect is now in pretrial detention and prosecutors within the Task Force plan to offer a plea bargain for his cooperation in related investigations. ConJusticia will continue to support the sustainability of these Task Forces and monitor future results.
Intervention 2.2 Enhanced collaboration among prosecutors, police, and investigators to improve the speed and quality of investigations and prosecutions for high-priority crimes.
Task 2.2.1 Assist justice sector actors improve the use of evidence
Task 2.2.2 Support justice sector actors to strengthen practices that facilitate witness testimony
Task 2.2.3 Support justice sector actors to resolve lower-priority cases through alternative disposition modalities.
Activities contributing to this Task will be carried out in subsequent quarters.
23 ongoing investigations uploaded
to the National Registry
Nayarit
OBJETIVO 2 Collaboration among strategic actors in the criminal justice system
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Intervention 3.1 Networks of justice sector institutions, civil society, academia, and private sector for developing local solutions strengthened
Task 3.1.1 Support multisectoral partners in each state to identify shared goals and build or create networks.
Task 3.1.2 Support multi-sectoral networks to develop sustainable and inclusive innovations for the justice sector.
Task 3.1.3 Support multisectoral networks to reduce the barriers regarding access to justice for women and girls.
Task 3.1.4 Enable networks to use MIS data for improved oversight and accountability.
Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal Justice establishes its methodological foundations as a hub for the documentation and dissemination of innovations that transform criminal justice in the country. The Laboratory drafted a methodology and developed a prototype of the digital platform it will use to curate and exchange innovations across local justice systems that improve access to justice with a focus on citizen co-responsibility. The LMIJP will be a key mechanism driving the sustainability of ConJusticia’s legacy across its target states, serving as a hub for the exchange of innovations that transforms local justice systems. The methodology is based in user-centered, citizen co-responsibility and GESI approaches. Paving the way for strategic alliances with private sector and civil society representatives in Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí. The Activity held conversations with multisector actors in Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí to explore opportunities to collaborate in strengthening the justice sector. ConJusticia met with the prominent private sector group FEMSA as well as civil society organizations such as ¿Cómo vamos Nuevo León? and Red Nacional de Organizaciones Civiles a favor de los Juicios Orales y Debido Proceso. Likewise, exploratory meeting with representatives of San Luis Potosi’s chapter of the business association COPARMEX and made initial contact with key state authorities as well as the State Commission for Human Rights. CSOs specializing in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in three target states launch grant projects to strengthen justice sector institutions. Asociación Progreso para México, A.C. (PROMEX); Educación y Ciudadanía, A.C; and Red Mesa de Mujeres de Ciudad Juárez, A.C. will strengthen local justice systems, promoting equality for groups in vulnerable situations. Moving forward, the Activity will accompany the launch of their projects and will facilitate a Learning Community to exchange best practices, lessons learned, and innovations in GESI mainstreaming within the justice sector. A second call for proposals has been launched for remaining states.
Intervention 3.2 Peer-to-peer professional networks established and functioning.
Task 3.2.1 Establish peer-to-peer networks and similar communities of practice to help experienced professionals learn on an ongoing basis.
Activities contributing to this Task will be carried out in subsequent quarters.
3 target states with systemic projects promoted by local CSOs to improve access to justice with
GESI perspective
Nayarit, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí
OBJECTIVE 3 Sustainable partnerships among diverse stakeholders linked to the criminal justice system
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CROSSCUTTING ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES This quarter, ConJusticia has collaborated strategically with diverse actors to strengthen local systems in target states in areas of innovation and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) through its grants mechanism, as described below. LEVERAGING INNOVATIONS TO TRANSFORM LOCAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS This quarter, the Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal Justice (LMIJP) fully launched its operations, establishing a methodology and a prototype for a digital platform. The LMIJP will be a key actor driving the sustainability of ConJusticia’s legacy across its target states, serving as a hub for the exchange of innovation that transforms local justice systems. Figure 4 provides more information on the Laboratory and its achievements this quarter.
Figure 4. Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal Justice (LMIJP) Mission, Vision, and Achievements in Q1 FY2
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GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION (GESI)
ConJusticia’s GESI Strategy was approved in Year 1, paving the way for the Activity to further expand its implementation this quarter in the following ways:
Expanding ConJusticia’s crosscutting GESI Strategy. In Year 1, ConJusticia developed a strategy based on
USAID’s 2020 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy, which outlines key interventions and areas of support for AGOs and State Courts, strategic communications, financial mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation, in addition to activities oriented towards internal GESI mainstreaming. In FY2, the Activity began expanding on this strategy, including GESI integration in pilot initiatives based in citizen co-responsibility.
Strengthening State AGOs and Courts in GESI mainstreaming, both in institutional processes and
substantive decision-making. In Year 1, ConJusticia carried out strategic interventions dedicated to improving GESI integration in CPPs, investigation, data, and strategic communication. This quarter, the Activity advanced in the self-assessment of Gender Units in State Courts in Sonora, Coahuila, and Nayarit, presenting a proposed plan for technical support in Nayarit. Furthermore, the Activity confirmed disaggregated variables to strengthen the management and use of data for decision-making in State AGOs and Courts.
Leveraging local initiatives in GESI strengthening through grants. In Year 1, ConJusticia launched a
request for proposals to support at least 1 local actor in each target state to strengthen justice sector institutions in GESI mainstreaming. This quarter, the Activity selected 3 CSOs in the states of Nayarit, San Luis Potosí, and Chihuahua, which will implement projects over a two-year period with an estimated budget of $2,000,000 MXN. Figure 5 provides more information on these organizations and their projects. Moving forward, the Activity will assist in the implementation of their projects. A second request for proposals has been launched for the remaining states.
Figure 5. CSOs Supported to Mainstream GESI in Local Justice Systems
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Figure 6 outlines key activities and results in the implementation of ConJusticia’s GESI Strategy, noting lessons learned along the way.
Figure 6. Key Activities, Results, and Lessons Learned in GESI Mainstreaming
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5. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
Through mainstreaming the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach, ConJusticia has developed specific strategies oriented towards adaptive management. Figure 7 describes these strategies and their importance.
Figure 7. ConJusticia’s Strategies for Adaptive Management
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The strategies outlined above have been applied in the following ways:
Periodic Pause and Reflect sessions with internal teams, Consortium members, and USAID partners. Meetings with Consortium leadership to improve coordination and collaborative decision-making. The design and implementation of flexible facilitation models to advance with virtual modalities. The mainstreaming of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) practices throughout program
implementation.
Results include:
Strengthened Institutional Maturity Model (IMM) and assessment tool, incorporating a GESI approach and integrating additional assessment criteria based in technical support provided by ConJusticia.
Tailored state-level plans for technical implementation in Y2 based in Political Economy Analysis (PEA) findings.
An ongoing process for Thinking and Working Politically drawing from materials the Activity already produces to guide evidence-based decision-making in an agile fashion.
Implementation of a strategy to incentivize institutional strengthening in data use and management complemented by non-extractive data gathering processes with counterpart institutions.
Focus groups to tailor key messages based in values to inform state-level communication strategies.
6. LESSONS LEARNED
During this quarter, ConJusticia completed and submitted to USAID a Synthesis Report and 8 state-level reports for each target state under the framework of USAID’s Political Economy Analysis (PEA) methodology. These documents outline key findings, conclusions, and recommendations for ConJusticia’s implementation, which informed the planning process for FY2. The Activity presented these reports with the Rule of Law portfolio and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), contributing to evidence-based decision-making across the Mission and with USAID partners, and optimizing resources. This quarter, ConJusticia focused on adopting the PEA and Thinking and Working Politically methodological frameworks internally as a best practice that the Activity will continue to adopt to ensure sustainability. Figure 8 highlights some of the lessons learned during ConJusticia’s first PEA baseline study.
Figure 8. PEA Synthesis and State-Level Reports
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Figure 9. Lessons Learned through ConJusticia’s first application of the PEA Methodology
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7. FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS REPORT
The contract ceiling is $29,050,089 and the current obligated amount is $9,600,000. The activity has expended 51.8% of the obligation from inception through this reporting quarter (FY2 Q1).
Financial expenditure for the current quarter, and projections for subsequent quarters are outlined below.
Q1 (October- December) to be reported on January 31st X
Q2 (January - March) to be reported on April 30th
Q3 (April - June) to be reported on July 31st
Q4 (July - September) to be reported on October 30th
Current Quarter FY22 Q1
Next Quarter FY22 Q2
FY22 Q3 FY22 Q4
$ 1,517,204 $1,158,868 $1,413,004 $1,429,240
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8. ANNEXES
Annex 1. Indicator Summary Table Annex 2. Success Story Annex 3. ConJusticia’s GESI Strategy One-Pager Annex 4. ConJusticia’s GESI Activity Tracking Table Annex 5. Updated Organizational Chart
ANNEX 1. INDICATOR SUMMARY TABLE
Indic-ator Type / Ref. to RF
Indicator Type Indicator Status
Std. Indic. No.
BASELINE
NOTES Location Freq. Data Source Disaggregation Baseline
Date Baseline Value
CONTEXT
A. Level of perception of society's trust in Judges
Context Active 2019 55.10% Nation wide
Annual
Encuesta Nacional de Victimización y Percepción sobre Seguridad (ENVIPE)
Sex; geographic location
B. Level of perception of society’s trust in Attorneys General Offices
Context New 2019 54.80% Nation wide
Annual
Encuesta Nacional de Victimización y Percepción sobre Seguridad (ENVIPE)
Sex; geographic location
C. Average citizen confidence that courts guarantee a fair trial
Context Active 2019 42.8 Nation wide
Annual
Americas- Barometer, Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)
None
D. Unrecorded crime rate (cifra negra) Context Active 2019 92.40% Nation wide
Annual
Encuesta Nacional de Victimización y Percepción sobre Seguridad (ENVIPE)
Geographic location
E. Rule of Law Index for Mexico – Criminal Justice Factor
Context Active 2020 0.37 Nation wide
Annual World Justice Project
Geographic location
CUSTOM
1 % of justice system users expressing trust in justice institutions
Outcome Active 2019 64.46% Proxy indicator
State Annual
Encuesta Nacional de Victimización y Percepción sobre Seguridad (ENVIPE)
Sex; vulnerable populations; geographic location
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1.1 % increase in prosecution rates for high-priority cases
Outcome Active 2018 12.2% Proxy indicator
State Annual
INEGI, Impartición de justicia Penal, 2019
Type of crime; geographic location
1.1.1 # of state-level prosecution prioritization frameworks developed
Outcome Active 2021 2 State Annual FGE office records
Geographic location; inclusion of GESI perspective
1.2.1 # of USG-assisted courts with improved case management systems
Outcome Standard DR.1.5-1 2020 0 State Annual Activity records
Geographic location
1.2.2 # of improved management systems and tools adopted by criminal justice institutions
Output New 2020 0 State Annual Activity records
Geographic location; type of system or tool, institution
1.3.1 % of cases with an investigation plan Outcome New 2020 0 State Annual FGE office records
Type of crime; geographic location; inclusion of GESI perspective
1.4.1 # of intelligence products produced by crime analysis units
Outcome New 2020 0 State Annual FGE office records
Geographic location; inclusion of GESI perspective
1.4.2 % decrease in deferred court hearings for high-priority cases
Outcome New 2018 38.04% Proxy indicator
State Annual Mexico Evalua Hallazgos 2019
Geographic location
1.5.1 % of users receiving updates on case status
Outcome Active 2021 TBD State Annual ConJusticia survey
Type of user; sex; geographic location
2.1 # of agreements, protocols and systems implemented resulting from collaboration among justice actors
Outcome Active 2020 0 State Annual Activity records
Geographic location; inclusion of GESI perspective
2.1.1 % decrease in average time for all case resolutions in State Courts
Outcome Active 2018 141.4 Proxy indicator
State Annual
INEGI, Impartición de justicia Penal, 2019
Type of crime; resolution type; Geographic location
2.2.1 % decrease in average case resolution time for high-priority cases
Outcome New 2018 186.1 Proxy indicator
State Annual
INEGI, Impartición de justicia Penal, 2019
Type of crime; geographic location
3.1 # of multi-sector networks related to justice sector operating
Outcome Active 2020 0 State Annual 2020 Geographic location; sector
3.1.1
# of innovations supported through USG assistance with demonstrated uptake by the public and/or private sector
Outcome Active IRS_Cross-cutting - STIR-11
2020 0 State Annual Activity records, then MJIN records
Geographic location; inclusion of GESI perspective
CROSSCUTTING
CC1 # of judicial personnel trained with USAID assistance
Output Active DR 1.3-1 2020 0 City Quarterly Attendance record and
Sex; geographic location; topic
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training materials
CC2 # of people reached by a USG funded intervention providing GBV services
Output Standard GNDR 6 2020 0 State Annual Activity records
Sex; geographic location; type of service
CC3
# of training and capacity building activities conducted with USG assistance that are designed to promote the participation of women or the integration of gender perspectives in security sector institutions or activities
Output Standard GNDR 9 2020 0 State Annual Activity records
Geographic location; activity type
ANNEX 2.
SUCCESS STORY: IMPACTING CITIZEN PERCEPTION IN COAHUILA A TASK FORCE IN SALTILLO IS IMPROVING CITIZEN PERCEPTION OF IMPUNITY IN CRIMES OF ROBBERY
Just a few hours south of Texas near the US-Mexico border lies Saltillo, the capital city of the State of Coahuila. As a sprawling urban hub and the 15th largest population for a metropolitan center in the country, crimes of home robbery have always been a top priority for the security and justice sector. As a crime that directly impacts average citizens and contributes to perceptions of insecurity, Coahuila’s police and prosecutors face pressure to combat this priority crime. Recently, with the support of USAID-ConJusticia, a multidisciplinary group of operators came together as a Task Force to strategically target impunity in home robberies and have already begun criminal proceedings against a number of key suspects.
Fatima del Rosario Villela Lugo works in the State Attorney General’s Office (AGO) as part of the High-Volume Case Processing Unit. As a prosecutor, she faces challenges successfully resolving high-incidence crimes like home robbery because of a lack of evidence. “In the past, we used to lack a solid investigation lead that we could bring before a judge, and often witnesses would refuse to cooperate,” noted Fatima. Her colleague, Marco Cesar López Ibarra, agreed, mentioning, “There was a lot of information collected by municipal police at the scene of the crime that never got to our area but would have helped us understand how the criminal phenomenon of home robberies was evolving.”
That all began to change with the launch of a USAID-supported Task Force in June of 2021 in which police investigators, forensic experts, crime analysts, and prosecutors came together to concentrate their efforts in combatting home robberies as a priority crime. Between June and September, participating operators on the Task Force successfully apprehended 47 key suspects tied to multiple home robberies through analysis of crimes patterns in targeted neighborhoods. Suspects were effectively identified, arrested, and subjected to pretrial detention as they awaited their initial hearings. Such concrete results were made possible by quality investigations that produced solid evidence supporting each case.
In the last few months since the Task Force officially disbanded, Task Force participants observed a notable increase in official criminal complaints registered by victims, a trend that suggests a positive impact on citizen perception. “The collaboration with other institutions helped us to recover the confidence of victims and citizens in general since cases were resolved promptly, and the victims noticed this. Ultimately, these results contribute to citizens’ confidence. “The victims who benefitted then served as spokespersons among the wider community so that other victims would report crimes too,” shared Fatima.
Local police, crime analysts, and prosecutors join forces as part of a task force to combat home robbery
in Saltillo, Coahuila.
A USAID-supported task force launched
in Saltillo, Coahuila, from
June to September of
2021
Prosecutors collaborated with police,
forensic experts and crime analysts to
identify crime patterns and key suspects
The Task Force apprehended 47 suspects tied to multiple home
robberies
“The collaboration with other institutions [on the task force] helped us to recover the confidence of victims and citizens in general since cases were resolved promptly, and the victims realized this.” — Fatima del Rosario Villela Lugo, Prosecutor
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Fatima and Marcos explained how the Task Force achieved these results. “The collaboration with municipal police was especially fruitful as they helped us collect information and evidence. We didn’t have access to before, like videos, witness interviews, and crime reports that helped us identify and locate suspects in a faster and more effective way,” noted Fatima. Marcos echoed her perspective, sharing how “with the Task Force, we realized how information should be managed from start to end of each particular case.”
On the part of the police, Captain Ernesto Aboytez Gonzalez, who also participated in the Task Force, shared how the experience improved coordination both across institutions and internally: “Through the communication that sprung from the Task Force, now we collaborate with police investigators and prosecutors to formulate a strategy for detaining key suspects […] we are able to note when they are the same suspects that are repeatedly robbing certain neighborhoods, and as a Task Force we can bring the full force of the law to combat these crimes.”
Often victims of crimes are the most influential forces on public opinion when they share their direct experiences of the justice sector with family and friends, and those stories become the collective reputation of justice institutions. More victims sharing positive outcomes in the community usually corresponds to even more victims coming forward based on the perception that their complaint will result in justice being served.
This initial positive impact has bolstered the confidence of participating operators and encouraged them to continue to collaborate across investigations for all types of crimes, even though the formal mechanism of the Task Force has come to a close. “I feel satisfaction in helping citizens to see that their crime reports actually bear fruit and it also feels very good when you help people recover their stolen possessions, it is when we really see them appreciate the work we do,” commented Captain Aboytez, adding that “It has also been very nice to share knowledge and information with our peers in the AGO now that we all see how everything goes towards a single, shared goal."
The new ties established for collaboration were celebrated by AGO operators too, as analyst Marco put it: “I got to know the experiences of many of my colleagues for whom statistics and data can be very ‘cold’ when all they see are registries and lists of names, etc. So through getting to know how people utilize and are grateful for our analysis, you realize that your work is helping and it’s like a spark and motivates you knowing that your work is really worth it.”
Prosecutor Fatima shared how she learned from each of her colleagues on the Task Force, noting “This helped me to understand each of their functions, be understanding, and listen to each other, which resulted in all of us realizing we were in the same boat going in the same direction with a shared objective. This is reflected in the successful way our investigations were conducted and the positive results they gleaned.”
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ANNEX 3. CONJUSTICIA’S GESI STRATEGY ONE-PAGER
ANNEX 4. CONJUSTICIA’S GESI ACTIVITY TRACKING TABLE GESI Activity Tracking Table Justice portfolio - ConJusticia
Time period: Q1, FY2
State City Institution Type of activity
Tools or materials used/developed
Duration Beneficiaries
(if any) Notes
Nayarit
Multi-city State Court Task 1.2.2 Integration and monitoring
of activities with a GESI perspective for Courts
1 Session State Courts
Presentation of findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Gender Commission in Nayarit’s State Court, based on self-assessment
All target states
Multi-city All Target Institutions
Task 3.1.3
Second webinar on New Conceptualizations of
masculinities for improved access to justice
1 session
Internal and External
collaborators, general public
The webinar had a robust turnout of 366 participants representing civil society organizations, prosecutors'
offices, courts, and the technical team
Nayarit, San Luis Potosí,
Chihuahua
Multi-city Civil Society
Organizations Task 3.1.3 APS GESI Grant N/A
Subgrantee organizations
Selection of three civil society organizations specializing in GESI that will support justice sector strengthening in GESI mainstreaming in Nayarit, San
Luis Potosí, and Chihuahua
All target states
Multi-city State Courts Task 1.2.2 Request for proposals to strengthen Gender Units
in State Courts N/A
Gender Units of State Courts
Design of a request for proposals to strengthen Gender Units in State Courts
in all eight target states in regard to their capacities to judge with a GESI inclusion approach, which has since been sent to USAID for approval
Multi-state Multi-city
State Attorneys General
Offices and Courts
Task 1.4.1 Confirmation of GESI
variables for data management and analysis
Ongoing Attorneys
General Offices
Confirmation of variables and categories that State Attorneys General Offices and Courts will use to register data in
areas of GESI (building upon CONATRIB and SENAP standards) for
future strengthening activities
Multi-state Multi-city LMIJP Task 3.1.1 GESI Mainstreaming in the Mexican Laboratory for Innovation in Criminal
Ongoing LMIJP and
beneficiaries Integration of GESI approach in the
LMIJP methodology and platform
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Justice
Internal Internal ConJusticia (internal)
GESI Crosscutting
Protocol to prevent and attend to violence and discrimination in the
workplace
1 Session ConJusticia
Internal training on concepts, principles, and procedures that comprise the protocol to prevent and attend to violence and discrimination in the workplace, developed by the GESI
Committee
Internal Internal ConJusticia (internal)
GESI Crosscutting
Internal Bulletins with GESI sections
N/A ConJusticia Bimonthly bulletins for ConJusticia staff
and Home Office with sections dedicated to GESI
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ANNEX 5. UPDATED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART This quarter, ConJusticia strengthened its crosscutting team to expand its systemic vision, incorporating a new Sustainable Partnerships Leader. The Activity also fully integrated the Monitoring and Evaluation, CLA, and Strategic Communications teams to inform adaptive and knowledge management processes for decision-making under the CLA approach.
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