FOREIGN ASSISTANCE: Lack of Haitian Commitment Limited Seccess of U.S. Aid to Justice System
Abstract
I am pleased to be here today to discuss the preliminary results of our review of U.S. assistance provided to Haiti's justice system. In September 1994, the United States and other countries intervened militarily in Haiti to restore the democratically elected government that had been overthrown by the Haitian military in September 1991. Before this intervention, the Haitian military controlled the police and the judicial sector. Military and political cronyism dominated these institutions, and the military influenced the appointments of magistrates and the decisions made by them. These justice institutions were widely regarded as ineffective and corrupt. After the intervention, the United States stepped in to provide assistance to the Haitian justice system-- both the police and the judicial sector -- aimed at developing a professional civilian police force, enhancing the effectiveness of existing judicial organizations, and improving the Haitian people's access to justice. This assistance also aimed at supporting a broader reform of the judicial sector that the Haitian government intended to pursue over time. The objectives of this assistance program were consistent with U.S. justice assistance objectives in other countries in Latin America.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 19, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381903
Entities
People
- Jess T. Ford
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office