Modelling the Public Sector Using Discrete Simulation Modelling (DSM) for the analysis of throughput times of court cases in the Justice system of the Netherlands.

Abstract

This study shows how simulation modelling can contribute to the public sector research. Currently not much research has been conducted in this field, which is unfortunate since it can (ex ante) provide us with insights in the effects of policy decisions, without having to interfere with reality. This creates more legitimacy and credibility for policy changes. This requires a logistic perspective on the public sector. To show how simulation modelling can contribute to the public sector, we develop a discrete event computer simulation for the analysis of logistic changes in the trade laws system. Two models are created, based on the existing court district Midden-Nederland, location Utrecht in the Netherlands. The first model is based on the current system, and the second model is based on the suggested interventions by the government, the ministry of justice, and the administration of justice in their program “Kwaliteit en Innovatie Rechtspraak”(KEI). In total five experiments test the two systems, to see how the interventions change the throughput time of the trade law cases. The study shows that due to the changes of KEI, the average throughput time can decline, however, it is established that the system becomes less resilient towards external and internal pressure. The example of the court system shows how (discrete event) simulation modelling is a useful tool for the public sector, albeit not in optimal use yet.