This is focused on the need for judicial system training (of judges, lawyers and police) in Astan - the hurdles to overcome.

The most candid assessments have been done by the Afghanistan Justice Sector Support Program (JSSP). The important publications are the first four documents:

•Assessment of the Justice Sector in Kunduz Province, Oct 2007 (37 pages)

•Assessment of Provincial Defense Capabilities, Sept 2007 (70 pages)

•The State of Regional Justice Systems in Balkh Herat and Nangarhar, Dec 2006 (79 pages)

•Briefing Report (JSSP goals, activities and accomplishments to date), October 2007 (34 pages)
Unfortunately, these are for only four provinces (and, at the time, fairly secure ones at that). The assessments have not been updated since 2007; but there are reports (less candid and complete than the assessments, IMO) through Nov 2008 on the webpage.

My evaluation is that the judges have serious problems (probably fixable), and the lawyers (including prosecutors) are near-FUBAR. I have my thoughts about the ANP, but would like first to have your opinions as LE professionals on that part of the assessments.

Based on the assessments, police training (looking at a relatively short time frame of years, not decades) would have to be very basic indeed. Paper and pencils would seem to work for pictographs (don't count on literacy) - so, Slap's suggestion to draw rings and other pictures is not a bad one.

Happy reading

Mike