Eolas Justice magazine Reports

Delivering sustained transformation in the justice sector

As government, society and business grapple with the impact of Covid-19, the need to deliver sustained transformation in the justice sector has never been clearer. Change in a justice sector is hard, constituent organisations are typically steeped in years of history; they are (often for good reason) highly procedural; have operational mandates that challenge longer term strategic thinking; are subject to high levels of public scrutiny; and operate within substantive legislative and governance frameworks. Nevertheless, most organisations across the Irish justice sector have recognised the need for change, and for a variety of reasons have embarked on significant transformation and modernisation programmes. Some of these have started by addressing organisational and governance layers. But it is critical that (a) change goes much deeper than just structure; (b) is seen as part of a continuous evolution; and (c) is coordinated with other programmes across the justice sector and broader Irish public service.

Based on a breadth of research undertaken by Deloitte, and practical experience of working with many justice sector and other public service organisations on their transformation journeys, read about a number of trends highlighted as being important considerations here.
 

Proactively managing the risks of fraud

While the Irish justice sector plays a pivotal role in tackling the problem of fraud in society, it also needs to remain resilient to existing and emerging fraud challenges it itself may encounter. Fraud is an age-old problem, which affects all sectors and all corners of society. While it is difficult to put exact figures on the cost of fraud in Ireland,  the global cost of fraud is estimated at upwards of €4 trillion annually, and this is almost certainly under-investigated and under-reported.

Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 has spawned a new surge of fraudulent activity, targeting individuals, private companies and government support schemes, both globally and in Ireland. An Garda Síochána, in particular, are at the forefront of the fight to temper the impact of Covid-19 fraudulent schemes in Ireland, and are educating businesses and the wider public on what to look out for.

While the right set of solutions will be dependent on each organisation’s own circumstances, read examples of steps which organisations should be taking to build resilience against these threats, along with where the threats are, here.