Other reporting by monitors
In addition to providing case reports concerning individual hearings, monitors may
also provide secondary reporting to support the process of compiling and synthesizing
information. This may support public reporting efforts for programmes that employ
fewer supervisory staff, as well as serve a capacity-building role. Since monitors may
often be assigned to a particular region or court, monthly reporting allows monitors
an avenue to provide an overview of practices and issues observed in their court or
region. This allows analysis of issues unrelated to a specific case, such as general conditions related to a monitored courthouse, including scheduling, delays, equipment or
facility issues, and practices observed. Secondary reporting may help to provide further identification as to what practices are confined to a particular judge or case, and
what practices may be endemic to an entire court or system. Secondary reporting also
permits more detailed treatment of serious violations or problems that routinely occur
systemically. From a capacity-building perspective, such reporting also provides an
opportunity for monitors to perform legal writing outside the structured case-reporting format.
Examples of secondary monitor reporting
Trial Monitoring Programme, Mission to Moldova: In addition to case reports that are
submitted jointly after each hearing by a monitoring pair, all monitors are individually required to submit a narrative report on a monthly basis. Such reports are required to contain
a summary of the most frequent procedural violations identified by the monitor during the
month, information that could not be fully reflected in the case report, and recommendations on how to eliminate any violations encountered. In the context of the Moldova programme, monthly reports not only assist the programme co-ordinator in identifying and
analysing issues, but also further one of the primary purposes of the programme: to build
the capacity of local monitors who are recently graduated lawyers.
Trial Monitoring Project in Kazakhstan, ODIHR and OSCE Centre in Almaty: In addition to regular case reports that are to be submitted each week by a monitoring pair, at the
end of each month individual monitors must submit a special report on a topic designated
in advance by the project co-ordinator. In drafting the monthly report, monitors are to apply
domestic law and international standards and provide examples of practices from monitored
cases. In addition to building the capacity of local monitors, the assignment of specific topics
involves the monitors directly in analysis and compilation of cases relevant to the specific
issues under observation. This in turn supports the capacity of the programme to synthesize
information for public reports supporting the work of the project co-ordinator.
6.5.2 Case management systems
All programmes require some type of centralized case management system to store
and organize case information. At a minimum, case management systems allow programmes to quickly access reports, respond to emergent issues, and provide important
institutional memory of the programme’s activities. Case management systems also
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