SC, DoJ, DILG team up to improve data sharing

THE Supreme Court, the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are teaming up to improve data sharing in an effort to boost the delivery of justice.

The three agencies signed the Memorandum of Agreement on the National Justice Information System (NJIS), a project involving the development of information management systems and exchange mechanisms between the members of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) for the speedy administration of justice.

The agreement aims to reduce redundancy in data collection, facilitate coordination among different agencies, and minimize delays in investigations and court proceedings.

The DoJ will provide a web application for the NJIS that will serve as the connection between the many different agencies involved and the avenue for exchanging critical data.

The DoJ will also take the lead in capacity-building activities within the agencies as regards the utilization of the NJIS platform.

The DILG will coordinate with the DoJ for the technical requirements for developing its own information system, which will be connected to the NJIS. Additionally, it will shoulder the expenses for developing the interoperability layers and information systems, as well as for items like capacity-building.

The Supreme Court will coordinate with the DoJ for the technical requirements of connecting the group's platform to its own applications.

The court will also share data with the other two agencies, such as public court records, court dockets and schedules; warrants, subpoenas and other court orders; probation information; and criminal records.

«What all these will add up to, we hope, is a significant upgrade to the NJIS — to the capability of bodies and agencies across the full spectrum of the justice sector to coordinate and collaborate, to cut down redundancies and delays, to deliver the justice that our people need when they need it,» Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said.