The Efficiency of the Italian Judicial System: A Two Stage Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

During the last two decades there was great attention for improved performance in the public sector. We know how important a good judicial system is: it permits to keep the peaceful coexistence between the citizens of a nation and, above all, the rights and duties that are necessary for each. In this paper our aim is to examine the Italian judicial efficiency, to check any territorial differences. For this purpose we use a two stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. In the first stage we evaluate performance of the 140 Ordinary Courts by mean of DEA, while in the second stage we explore determinant of efficiency/inefficiency using fractional regression model. Before doing this, we will prepare the reader presenting the basic concepts of efficacy and efficiency, explaining the method DEA and its various applications and finally we will also talk about the literature on the efficiency of the judiciary, which is a topic in Italy, despite the numerous ISTAT data, it did not find the right recognition. A bit will also be carried out on the international literature on the subject. At the end of all this will be shown in practical terms what has been done