Overview
The Data and Evidence for Justice Reform (De Jure) program is a Development Impact Group initiative that harnesses the power of science and data to transform how we measure, understand, and strengthen justice systems. Efficient, fair, and accessible justice systems promote peace and security, support economic investment and growth, and provide fundamental protections to citizens. However, there is limited evidence as to “what works” in improving justice. De Jure aims to help fill this gap by utilizing and generating data and evidence on justice reforms.
By collaborating with governments and judiciaries, De Jure identifies and addresses key factors contributing to court delays, uncovers systemic biases in decision-making, and enhances access to justice for marginalized groups. The program aligns with the growing interest among governments, donors, and academics to utilize data and evidence to foster equitable, growth-enhancing, and sustainable justice systems. Its approach involves analyzing data, diagnosing challenges, developing interventions, ensuring the relevance and adoption of solutions, and disseminating lessons learned across World Bank clients.
De Jure has successfully designed and conducted experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations with government partners and academics in countries across Africa, Europe, Latin America, and South Asia, including Chile, Croatia, India, Kenya, Peru, and Senegal. The program has also produced valuable knowledge products and global public goods, including “The Role of Justice in Development: The Data Revolution”, “Transforming Justice in the Middle East and North Africa Through Data”, or “Government Analytics Using Machine Learning”.
Main Themes
The program capitalizes on emerging government interest in using data science, machine learning, and impact evaluations to achieve a more just and evidence-based system. De Jure’s objective is to holistically impact the judicial ecosystem by addressing the key challenges faced by justice systems:
Slow Justice
The program examines procedural reforms, algorithms for identifying reasons behind court delays, and behavioral interventions to enhance the efficiency of justice. For instance, in Kenya De Jure developed algorithms to assign cases based on the past performance of judicial mediators. In Chile, De Jure designed innovative performance dashboards that simplify how judges' performance information is presented to court managers.
Unfair Justice
The program develops statistical procedures to identify judicial biases in decision-making and designs training to mitigate them, aiming to improve the quality of judicial decisions. In India and Kenya, the program has investigated the sources and effects of judicial bias, including those related to gender and ethnicity. By collaborating with Judicial Training Academies, such as in Peru, the program evaluates cost-effective training methods to enhance the performance of judges and court personnel.
Inaccessible Justice
The program develops and evaluates technological interventions and people-centered reforms to improve access to justice. In Peru and Kenya, the program leverages administrative data and innovations in legal aid and digital mediation to enhance alternative dispute resolutions. In Kenya, the program has also evaluated large court-building projects and their impacts on access to justice, demonstrating how improved access can foster firm investment and economic growth.
Partnerships
Overall, these interventions and knowledge products have enhanced the speed, accessibility, and quality of justice through personalized recommendation systems, behavioral interventions, and cost-effective reforms. Through close collaboration with governments, De Jure contributes to expanding the knowledge base on justice reform, bringing the power of science to the justice system.
