What is JSCA?
The Justice Studies Center of the Americas (JSCA) is an international agency of the Inter-American system that enjoys technical and operational autonomy. Its mission is to support justice system reform and modernization processes in the Americas. The Center’s headquarters is located in Santiago de Chile and its members are all of the active member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS).
JSCA provides technical assistance to governments, judicial branches and other stakeholders in regional justice systems. It also conducts studies and offers specialized training programs for judges, prosecutors, public defenders, litigators and policymakers.
JSCA was created on November 15, 1999 by resolution of the OAS General Assembly. The foreign ministries of the member states thus complied with the II Americas Summit Plan of Action (1998) and the recommendations of the Meetings of Ministers of Justice or Other Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA).
The Center is comprised of a Board of Directors and Executive Leadership. The Board has seven members who are appointed by the OAS General Assembly. Candidates are chosen from the list proposed by the member states.
The JSCA Board of Directors appoints the Executive Director, who is responsible for managing the Center. The Board is responsible for establishing general policy guidelines, supervising the work of the Executive Leadership, approving annual plans of action and the associated budget along with annual reports, and overseeing the achievement of objectives and goals.