Assessing the effectiveness of Crimes Record Management System (CRMS) on efficiency of criminal investigations operations in Uganda Police Force: a case of Jinja Road Police Station

Abstract

The need for good record-keeping and information-sharing practices has taken on added significance in today’s global environment. Not only do good records provide crucial internal information, law enforcement agencies now need to communicate agency-to-agency and across States in order to protect the Nation’s citizens. Criminal Record Management System has been implemented as an accessible web-based query application, which provides timely and accurate information on offenders. The software implemented is a typical automated criminal records management system, based on client-server architecture allowing data storage and criminal record interchange between the police. Despite the fact that CRMS has been in operation in CID for almost 8 years at Jinja Road Police Station, the status quo with respect to poor performance of CID operations has persisted. The current study was out to contribute to the understanding of the effectiveness of CRMS on the efficient conclusion of Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) Operations in Uganda Police Force citing factors affecting the operationalization of the CRMS for the efficient execution of CID Operations and recommending for improvements thereof. The study employed a cross sectional study design using mixed approaches. The main respondents were purposively police officers (CID officers) at Jinja Road Police Station. The other respondents included Divisional Police leaders as key informants. Qualitative data responses from interviews and documentary reviews were transcribed into themes and categories. Quantitative analysis included the use of simple descriptive analysis where conclusions were based on the percentages and frequencies. Further, quantitative analysis was guided by inferential analyses (correlation and regression) and conclusions were based on comparing the p-values to the level of significance. From the study results, it was found out that CRMS significantly affects the efficient conclusions of criminal investigations as it is most likely to improve the speed at which cases are managed and hence a reduction in the case backlog. However, this is only possible if the required hardware and software are available, functional and capable of handling the activities of the CID operations as they are pegged by rigid organizational processes and ease of officer transferability. From the above results, the study recommends that the Police Force makes available of the required hardware and software to improve speed and efficiency. Secondly, the UPF should improve funding geared towards the CRMS as it is through expansion of this funding that new hardware and software can be attained, end users trained and physical infrastructures raised or even the existing ones renovated.