Causeway is needed for five main reasons:

• Paper Records Can't Cope;
• To Assist the Implementation of the Criminal Justice Review;
• To Reduce Delay;
• To Respond to E-Government Initiatives;
• To Improve Efficiency.

Paper Records Can't Cope

The impact of information technology on all areas of life means that the public expects a service that is fast, accurate and focused on the needs of victims, witnesses and other stakeholders. The reliance of the criminal justice system on paper records makes it more difficult to deliver the required quality of service than would be the case if computer systems were widely used.

The main disadvantages of paper records are:

• Information is Hard to Find: As files and papers move between staff and organisations it is difficult to know where they are at a particular time. Tracking down files and papers takes time and effort and means that enquiries cannot be answered as quickly as they should be.
  
  
• Information is Slow to Move: The physical processes of copying and bundling papers, putting them in envelopes, collecting them, moving them by courier, distributing them, connecting them with related records and eventually filing them takes considerable time and effort.
  
  
• Information becomes Inaccurate, Inconsistent or Out of Date: Once information is copied to different organisations it can quickly become out of date. For instance, if individuals move house then the record of their address may be updated by one organisation but not by another. It then becomes difficult to know which is the right one. These inconsistencies take time and effort to put right.
  
  
• Information is Accessible only by a Single Person at a Single Time: Only one person can use a paper file at a time. Unless files, which can be large, are copied this means that only one person at a time can use them. As a result, tasks that need the use of the file can only take place one after the other. If different people could use the information at the same time then they could accomplish these tasks in parallel and thus reduce the overall time taken to get things done.
  
  
• Information is Costly to Handle: The infrastructure necessary to maintain paper records (photocopiers, filing cabinets, post rooms, courier vans) cost significant sums. It would be better if this money could be spent on more productive activities. Similarly, the staff time spent on such tasks could be better devoted to work that directly improves customer service.
  
  
• It is Difficult to Generate Statistics from Paper Records: At present the collation of statistics from the different CJOs is time-consuming and does not always produce the required reports. Sharing data will enable statisticians to produce accurate, timely reports that can inform operational decisions and longer-term policymaking

To Assist the Implementation of the Criminal Justice Review

The Criminal Justice Review (CJR) was a product of the Good Friday Agreement. Published in March 2000, its remit was

"To address the structure, management and resourcing of publicly funded elements of the criminal justice system and [...] bring forward proposals for future criminal justice arrangements"

The government has accepted most of the recommendations of the Review. The successful implementation of many of these is dependent on improved information systems - e.g. For instance, the establishment of a new independent public prosecution service for Northern Ireland means changes to the work of the police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. To be successful, these changes will need the improved information sharing.

To Reduce Delay

The government and the criminal justice agencies recognise that the public wishes to see criminal cases dealt with more quickly than at present and are committed to successfully addressing this issue. Causeway will ensure that information management failures no longer lead to delay in the processing of criminal cases.

To Respond to E-Government Initiative

The criminal justice organisations have a strong commitment to joined-up up government and to responding effectively to the modernizing government agenda. The agencies recognise that they can best address many of these issues by taking a crosscutting corporate approach through Causeway.

To Improve Efficiency

Causeway presents an opportunity to drive down costs and ensure that the administration of criminal justice delivers value for money.

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