Evaluating the Efficiency and Productivity of Colombian Criminal Justice

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to calculate the technical efficiency and the Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Index (MPI) of the municipal (JM) and circuit courts (JC) of the ordinary jurisdiction of the Colombian criminal justice system, from 2012 to 2016. The results show an average technical inefficiency of 16, 9% for de JCs, and 17.3% for JMs. Additionally, we find a total factor productivity (TFP) decline for these courts of 24 and 44%, respectively. Although both components of the MPI registered average values lower than one, the decrease in TFP is mainly driven by the decline in the technical change component.