How to effectively evaluate judicial training Professor Cheryl Thomas Director, UCL Judicial Institute University College London

Assessment Tool for Evaluating Judicial Training Purpose of the Assessment Tool: Help each country identify the key factors that need to be considered in assessing their current judicial training programme and future needs For a detailed description of Assessment Tool that can be read with this presentation see:http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/judicial-institute/docs/Judicial_Ed_Assess_Tool_2007.pdf

Approach to Evaluating Judicial Training Evaluation Tool does not assess judicial training in Europe on a hierarchical basis does not rank European countries according to quality of training recognises that no one country has an ideal training programme Each country’s training must be evaluated based on its history, needs and institutional structures.

Issue-based Approach to Evaluating Judicial Training Assessment Tool establishes a framework for monitoring and evaluating judicial training in Europe Using the Assessment Tool building blocks each country can develop training and evaluation programme suited to its needs But the Tool provides a common European methodology for assessing judicial training

4 Stages of Training Evaluation STAGE 1: SCOPE STAGE 2: GAPS STAGE 3: BARRIERS STAGE 4: ASSESSMENT

Stage 1: SCOPE What are Your Jurisdiction’s Training Approaches? Background factors Types of training structure Scope of training programme Training methods

Stage 1: SCOPE - explained What are your Background Factors (1A) Judicial recruitment methods Recent areas of scrutiny (eg, diversity, media attention, politicisation, major reviews or reforms) Established or recent transitional judiciaries What is your Type of Training Structure (1B) Who delivers and who controls judicial training and education Which judges receive training: requirements versus targets

Stage 1: SCOPE - explained What is Scope of Training Programme (1C) Substantive law Legal skills Judicial ethics Modern judicial skills Social context Personal welfare

Stage 1: SCOPE - explained What are Training Methods used (1D) Centralised, face-to-face programmes Decentralised, court-based programmes IT and web-based distance learning Modules Streamed programmes for individual judicial ranks Integrated programmes for judges and court personnel Bespoke programmes for individual courts

Stage 2: GAPS How to Identify Skills Needs Consider the following: Responsibility for evaluating training Course assessments Surveys of judicial training needs Surveys of perceptions of the judiciary Reports on judicial recruitment, evaluation & quality control of courts

Stage 2: Identifying Gaps Who evaluates judicial training and how often is it done? (2A) Conducting “Training Needs Assessment” Feedback questionnaires (2B) Surveys of Judges (2C) Training committees/coordinators Surveys of external perceptions (2D) Other sources of information (2E) Evaluation of judges & courts Large-scale reviews of the judiciary Research

Stage 3: BARRIERS To Improved Training Funds Time Geography Lack of skilled trainers Lack of study of judiciary Internal resistance Lack of comprehensive evaluation

Stage 4: Assessment How to achieve comprehensive evaluation What is rarely done: Integrating effective training evaluation into programme development Requires Evaluation to be linked to Outcomes Two things are required: Sharing Information widely Assessing Outcomes Periodically

Sharing Evaluation Info Need to provide info from Stage 2 & Stage 3 to: Each level of the judiciary Court administration Those responsible for funding judicial training Those responsible for quality control of courts and judicial appointments Can be sensitive and controversial

Conducting Periodic Surveys Of the Judiciary - on their training needs Also of: Court Users Public on their perceptions of judiciary Can also be sensitive and controversial – especially deciding what to ask & sharing results

Judicial Education & Training Assessment Tool You can conduct a Self-Assessment of how comprehensive your country’s approach is to judicial training through a specially-designed Questionnaire This is designed to help each country identify specific areas to work on to develop a more integrated and effective judicial training programme Available to download at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/judicial-institute/docs/Judicial_Ed_Assess_Tool_2007.pdf