Human Rights Commission -Update - Executive Summary

This is the Second Update of the preliminary performance review of the Human Rights Commission originally reported in December 1995. The original performance review identified case backlog and inadequate management information as major findings. The First Update to that report found the Human Rights Commission had reduced its backlog but was unable to track cases and identify its own performance because of the lack of a workable computer system.

This update finds that the Human Rights Commission followed the recommendations of the Legislative Auditor to develop an integrated management information system with the advice of the Department of Administration's Information Systems and Communications Division (IS&C). IS&C has confirmed that the new management information system will allow case tracking, networking and reporting as well as simplifying data entry and eliminating duplication which characterized the Human Rights Commission's previous management information system. A supplemental appropriation of $140,000 was made for hardware and software for the management information system. Completion date for the new system is December 1997.

As a result of this management information system, the Human Rights Commission will for the first time know how many cases it has in what status, and the number of decisions rendered, without doing a hand count of case folders. Finally, the new management information system will allow the Human Rights Commission to produce an annual report of its activities as required by statute.