Victorian OPP launches Amicus system to boost efficiency

The Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) has implemented a new matter management system, named 'Amicus', on the Appian AI Process Platform. This deployment is intended to leverage data fabric and process automation technology to enhance the efficiency of prosecutorial processes.

The OPP, being Victoria's largest criminal legal practice, deals with preparing and conducting serious criminal cases, providing legal advice to external agencies, litigating proceeds of crime, and supporting victims and witnesses during the court process. The introduction of Amicus marks a significant step in the OPP's digital transformation, aiming to integrate previously siloed legacy systems under a unified framework.

The newly implemented system is expected to provide a productivity gain of over 10% annually for the OPP. As Sam Jones, Executive Director at the OPP, explains, "Our initial step was to conduct a current-state discovery phase, which revealed that a substantial portion of our workforce's time—20 to 30%—was being drained by manual administrative tasks. By leveraging robotic process automation (RPA), we have achieved substantial savings in administrative tasks, enabling staff to concentrate on higher value work."

The former case management system, based on .NET, presented multiple challenges such as high maintenance costs, security risks, limited integration capabilities, fragmented data, and an inability to scale for future growth. The critical requirement for a new system was seamless integration with other OPP tools and platforms, including the records management system.

"We're working to solve a significant challenge: bringing a unified experience to our users while dealing with increasingly complex cases," said Jones.

"Over the last few years, including through the pandemic, cases have grown increasingly complex, especially considering the amount of multimedia evidence produced and the legislative environment in which we operate. It's become a real struggle to keep up. We need a system that ensures seamless data flow."

The Amicus system, which integrates multiple legacy systems into a streamlined 'single pane of glass' experience, has dramatically enhanced usability.

"As we continue to develop and improve functionality, we anticipate Appian will save a huge amount of time for our team, enabling them to focus on value-driven activities and improving mental wellbeing by reducing burnout risks," commented Jones.

The partnership between the OPP and Appian has been pivotal. "While Appian's technology is robust, the real success of the project lay in the trust and partnership with the vendor, and our ability to adjust quickly to evolving needs. Our approach—avoiding blame and focusing on consistent effort—kept us on time and budget, delivering beyond expectations," Jones stated.

Luke Thomas, Area Vice President Asia Pacific and Japan at Appian, elaborated on the broader implications of the partnership.

"Appian enables the OPP to advance its strategic plan for digital transformation, modernising architecture and driving seamless integration with diverse systems and tools within the criminal justice domain," he said.

He further indicated that the OPP is planning to expand its use of Appian to develop a victims' portal, which aims to foster transparent communications and empower individuals to stay informed regarding their cases.

Jones highlighted that the Appian Platform allows the OPP to deliver enhancements in a manageable and scalable manner, addressing the unique challenges of public sector technology projects.

"In the public sector, particularly within the justice system, we can't afford partial solutions. Everything we deploy must be 100% compliant from the outset," he stressed. "Appian enables us to meet this standard, providing scalable and manageable enhancements that reduce long-term costs."

"Thanks to the scalability, security, and adaptability of the Appian Platform, the OPP can efficiently update our systems in response to changes in legislation, policy, or business processes without the need for major reinvestment or overhauls."