3. MANAGING PERFORMANCE
Performance management is an activity of tracking performance against targets and identifying opportunities for improvement to allow for delivery of a better quality service. To manange performance an organsisation should:
- Know what its aims and objectives are
- Know what has to be done to meet objectives
- Know how to measure progress towards objectives
- Be able to detect poor performance and take corrective action
Operational priorities identified in the Dumfries and Galloway Business Plan for 2007/08 are as follows:
Target 1 | 60% of Sheriff Summary and District Court cases disposed of within 26 weeks of the date of caution and charge by March 2008 (Joint target with the Justice Portfolio 6) |
Target 2 | To implement agreed recommendations of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Inspectorate's Review of the prosecution of racial crimes by March 2006 and other agreed recommendations of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Inspectorate's Reviews within two years of such agreement |
Target 3 | Serve indictments in 80% of Sheriff and July cases that involve bail within eight months of first appearance on petition by March 2008 |
Target 4 | To serve all High Court indictments that involve bail within 10 months of first appearance on petition and 80% within 9 months of first appearance on petition by March 2008 |
Target 5 | In partnership with Justice portfolio, reduce 10% the level of High Court trial diet adjournments by March 2008 |
Target 6 | To communicate court bail decisions within 24 hours to 90% of victims in cases in which the accused has appeared from custody by March 2008 |
Target 7 | In deaths which require further investigation, to conclude investigation and advise next of kin of outcome within 12 weeks in 80% of cases by March 2008 |
The Area submits statistics monthly to Crown Office on performance against targets. The Area for its own information and use collate a quarterly performance report on its own offices to analyse for trends. Performance information is kept long term to show progression over the years, analyse peaks and troughs and performance over the longer period. This is of assistance if an approach has to be made to Crown Office, for example, for further resources.
Information received from Crown Office Management Information Division is described as both timely and useful.
Any perceived poor performance could be addressed at the monthly Area Business meetings and managers are encouraged to be more reactive and proactive in order to ensure the targets are met. Performance information is also fed back to staff at team briefings and office meetings. This allows all staff to know when performance is going well and when there is a need to focus on specific areas of performance.
Looking at Crown Office figures for the periods July 2004 to June 2005 and July 2005 to June 2006 there was an increase in criminal reports received of 3% and an increase of 4% in total reports received. This compares with a service wide average increase of 2% for both. In the periods July 2005 to June 2006 and July 2006 and June 2007 there was a further increase of 7% in criminal reports received and 6% in total reports received. This compares with a service wide average increase of 2% for both.
Again, looking at the periods July 2004 to June 2005 and July 2005 to June 2006 there was an increase in petitions with an 18% increase in cases being placed on petition and a 27% increase in net petitions. This compares with a service wide average increase of 12% and 18% respectively. Looking at the period July 2005 to June 2006 and July 2006 to June 2007 there is a further 14% increase in the number of cases placed on petition with an increase of 19% in net petitions. This compares with service wide increases of 15% respectively for both.
Despite the increase in petitions this has not, to the credit of the Area, affected the meeting of the targets for service of indictments.
Figures showing percentage change in business under all categories of work between periods July 2005 to June 2006 and July 2006 to June 2007 are shown in the tables at Appendix 1.
Achievement of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Targets:
On examination of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service management information for April 2006 to March 2007 and April 2007 to June 2007 we found that the Area as a whole met the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service internal targets for serving indictments in custody and bail cases, take and implement decision (initial case marking), the investigation of routine deaths and the Complaints against the Police 10-week target. Of the 11 targets relevant for the Area in this period the Area only failed to meet two - investigation of 80% of deaths within 12 weeks and closing 90% of Complaints against the Police within 12 weeks.
In this later period of April 2007 to June 2007 the take and implement target was moved from its 2006/07 target of 5 weeks to 4 weeks, which the Area met.
Achievement of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service targets for period April 2006 to March 2007 and April 2007 to June 2007 are shown at Appendix 2.