Evaluation of electronic case records management system (ECRMS) on delivery of court services: the case study of Milimani law courts Juvenile division registry, Nairobi.

Abstract

The judiciary of Kenya has embarked on massive transformation initiative whereby recently launched a transformation framework 2012-2016. This transformation framework is supported by four pillars with the forth pillar being Harnessing technology as an enabler of justice with plans for a country wide roll out of the Electronic Case Records Management System. Technology is nowadays being used to achieve effective service delivery in the private sector as well as the public sector. The judiciary must therefore evaluate the records management systems put in place for effective service delivery. The study therefore sought to report on the evaluation of Electronic Case Records Management System (ECRMS) on delivery of court services: the case study of Milimani law courts juvenile division registry. The ECRM System was first commission in Kenya at the Juvenile court Milimani. This study tried to study on issues to do with the influence of Electronic Case Records Management System (ECRMS) on security of court records, the effects of adoption of ECRMS on fraud/ corruption in the court registry, the ECRMS mediated employee job satisfaction on the effectiveness of service delivery, the cost effectiveness of ECRMS on effective court service delivery. The study targeted 72 system user employees at the Juvenile Court Milimani. Questionnaire was used to collect the data from the sample. The quantitative data collected in the study was analyzed by the use of frequency counts and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed qualitatively. The study findings show that the respondents consider the adoption of the Electronic Case Records Management System as an important component in the effective delivery of service to justice seeking clients. The study showed that 91.5% (54) of the respondents indicated that the use of ICT has positively influenced service delivery at the courts’ registry. The Electronic System has also influenced the employee’s morale with most of them indicating that they felt satisfied with the job they do. The implementation of the system has also significantly helped to reduce fraud/corruption and it has also improved the security of court data security. Therefore it is apparent the system has brought about positive changes and should therefore be adopted in other courts in Kenya.