As part of USAID’s Programa para el Fortalecimiento de Instituciones de Justicia Penal Estatal (ConJusticia), LAB-CO collaborated with the Coahuila State Attorney General’s Office to develop the Integral System of Statistical Data (known in Spanish as SIDE). This system is designed to capture and manage information on investigation files and criminal cases.
The daily information generated by the AGOs is crucial for the effective administration of justice. It enables institutions to make data-driven decisions, enhance transparency, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Despite its importance, obtaining high-quality information remains a challenge for many institutions in Mexico. Constraints such as limited infrastructure, a shortage of qualified personnel, and financial restrictions hinder the implementation of systems that produce reliable data.
In Coahuila, they faced several challenges with its information management system. The most important challenge was to modernize the system to ensure seamless updates, enhance data integrity, and drive greater user adoption and operational integration among staff.
In response to these challenges, LAB-CO and the Coahuila Attorney General’s Office (AGO) embarked on an institutional transformation to develop a comprehensive information management system for criminal cases. Thys system was built using PHP-Laravel, an opensource and free frameworks that facilitates the development of web applications. This ensures that the system remains adaptable, guaranteeing long-term functionality and scalability.
The SIDE was developed using open-source code, allowing the Attorney General’s Office of Coahuila the freedom to modify and use the system flexibly.
LAB-CO implemented an iterative and collaborative assistance methodology, forming work teams comprising personnel from operational, systems, and statistical departments to jointly drive internal change within the institution.
In the initial stage, pilot tests were conducted in select units to gather feedback from staff. Following this, the SIDE was tested under real-world conditions for three months. This involved its deployment in specific units to monitor its functionality and stability, with the aim of identifying potential issues and areas for improvement, ensuring that the system effectively met the demands of a real-world environment.
The final phase focused on capacity building for operational staff. LAB-CO conducted training sessions to familiarize personnel with the new system and provided technical staff with the necessary knowledge to make future adjustments. Finally, the system documentation and user manuals were handed over to the institution, ensuring that the tool remains useful and adaptable over time.
The development of SIDE has brought significant benefits to the institution. Primarily, the new system has enabled the Attorney General’s Office of Coahuila to obtain higher-quality data, optimize processes, and enhance its ability to fulfill transparency obligations. Furthermore, the iterative process fostered communication between various individuals and departments within the institution, such as the close collaboration between the executive and IT areas in the system’s development.
The implementation of SIDE has not only modernized information management within the Attorney General’s Office of Coahuila but has also strengthened the institution’s capacity to tackle challenges related to institutional improvement, promoting a more transparent, efficient justice system that is better aligned with local realities.