Performance Reporting — Continued

Community and Public Safety

Ministry Goals Supported by Business Area	Key Objective	Key Strategies
Goal 1: Laws and justice services are administered fairly, equitably and efficiently to all British Columbians, while individual rights and judicial independence are protected Goal 2: Citizens and communities of British Columbia receive protection from crime and its social and economic consequences Goal 5: The efficiency of all ministry operations is improved through the use of innovative business practices and technology	Process criminal cases in a timely and efficient manner within three levels of court.	• Conduct timely criminal prosecutions • Provide efficient, effective court administration, prisoner escort and court security support • Expand use of technology and innovative processes in the court system

The key objective for this business area — timely and efficient case processing — contributes to public safety and supports ministry goals 1, 2 and 5. Appropriate case dispositions can reinforce public perception and understanding of the justice system and bolster confidence that the system is administered fairly and equitably (Goal 1). Sentences can have a deterrent effect and also assure the public that social order is being upheld by the rule of law (Goal 2). The effective use of resources such as staff time, facilities, and technology contributes to efficiencies such as reducing unnecessary court appearances and better utilizing court capacity (Goal 5).

The key strategies help achieve the objective by:

• implementing efficiencies within the prosecutorial process to help reduce case processing time and move more criminal cases through the court system;
• ensuring that case files are in order, court lists are prepared, necessary staff and facilities are provided, persons in custody are available when required and disruptions and safety risks are minimal;
• reducing redundant data entry, enabling better and safer coordination of prisoner movements, and avoiding some prisoner escort and witness travel costs though videoconferencing.

Four key performance measures inform this core business area.

1    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Percentage of criminal cases (excluding traffic) completed within 8 months	72% (Adjusted from reported estimate of 64%)	64%	71%  Target Surpassed

Time from case commencement to disposition is an indicator of system efficiency. Case law has established that unacceptable system delay can be grounds for dismissing charges. This efficiency measure supports the objective for this business area, as well as ministry goals 1 and 5.

The actual result for 2002/03 shows a slight decrease from the adjusted actual (72%) for 2001/02. Slight increases and decreases have been occurring over the past five years, but overall the measure seems to be relatively consistent. In 1998/99, 69% of cases were completed within 8 months. This increased to 71% in 1999/00 and to 73% in 2000/01, followed by the slight decreases shown above over the next two years.

The 2002/03 target was set at a lower rate of 64% because it was expected that two factors — case complexity and reductions in funding — could potentially lower the percentage of cases completed within 8 months. The 2002/03 rate of 71% shows that this did not occur.

The data source for this measure is JUSTIN, a highly reliable, integrated case-tracking system used throughout the province.

2    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Average number of appearances per completed [criminal] case in Provincial Court	5.7	5.6	5.8  Target Largely Met

Each court appearance should involve meaningful actions which contribute to case disposition. As criminal cases grow in complexity and involve intricate legal issues, multiple parties, large volumes of technical evidence and expert witnesses, they often take longer to resolve and use more court resources. They can also require more court appearances before the case is completed. If the average number of court appearances needed to complete a criminal case can be maintained or reduced, court resources can be utilized to process more cases through the justice system at a lower cost per case. This contributes to earlier access and resolution for more cases and to more efficient use of court resources — all of which help achieve the objective for this business area. The actual result for 2002/03 is consistent with the projected long-term target.

Data from previous years show that the average number of appearances seems to be increasing fractionally. The average number of appearances in 1998/99 was 5.4. In 1999/00, it was 5.5, and in 2000/01, it rose to 5.8. These fluctuations are consistent with increased case complexity. However, new criminal case flow management rules, intended to increase procedural efficiencies, were implemented in all 13 judicial districts in the province as of October 2000. The rules are helping to maintain and control the average number of appearances required to complete a criminal case. Data source for this measure is the JUSTIN case-tracking system.

3    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Numbers of locations and hours for criminal sittings at all levels of court	99 locations 68 staffed locations 108,600 hours (corrected from projection of 114,000 hours)	74 locations 43 staffed locations 105,500 hours (adjusted down from projection of 110,900 hours)	87 locations 44 staffed locations 105,835 hours  Targets Met; Actual Reflects New Circuit Courts

The number of court locations is a crude indicator of courthouse distribution within the province and public accessibility to the court system. In order to meet 2002/03 to 2004/05 budget targets, the ministry closed 24 of the 68 staffed courthouses in the province. Some were small, one-room locations and others were mid-sized facilities. Several municipalities volunteered to enter into partnerships with the ministry, resulting in the creation of 15 additional circuit courts. These courts maintain access to justice while saving court registry and staff costs, and support the objective for this business area as well as ministry goals 1, 2 and 5.

The 2002/03 actual number of court locations represents the outcome of ministry decisions taken with respect to both staffed locations and circuit courts.

Sitting hours are generally accepted as a measure of court activity, but they are projections rather than true targets. Data source for this measure is the JUSTIN case-tracking system.

4    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Numbers of videoconferencing units at courts and correctional centres	62	65	63  Target Delayed

Videoconferencing technology can help promote timeliness and efficiency in court processes. Use of this technology supports the objective for this business area and ministry goals 1 and 5. Videoconferencing allows savings on costs for prisoner escorts and witnesses. It enables greater court event certainty so that scheduled events occur on time. It permits judicial and counsel flexibility and allows matters to be concluded more quickly.

The number of units in service represents the system's capacity and opportunity to use the technology for improving efficiency. Although five additional units were purchased in 2002/03, only one was installed. Installation of the other four units is scheduled for early 2003/04. When those units are installed, the 2002/03 and 2003/04 targets will be surpassed. The process of installing and redeploying equipment often results in slight fluctuations in total number of units in service.

In January 2000, there were fourteen operational units in courthouses and correctional centres. Since then, expansion of the technology has been fairly rapid. Among provinces, B.C. is an acknowledged leader in the use of videoconferencing in the courtroom.