Chapter 2 Austria - CEP, the European Organisation for Probation

Strategic controlling in NEUSTART is based on a Balanced Scorecard. It is thelink between strategy and operational implementation. Parameters subsumed infive perspectives serve to determine the degree to which strategic goals have beenreached. Measures that contribute to (better) goal attainment are described indetail and there are regular reviews as to whether these measures have in factbeen taken. The follow-up audit of financial management is a fixture forNEUSTART. This includes an audit of the annual accounts by an independentcertified public accountant whose report is also part of the evidence proving thatsubsidies have been used in accordance with the earmarking. The internal auditunit of NEUSTART does system and organizational reviews. Public sectorpurchasers have the contractual right to inspect the books of NEUSTART.Activities at the federal level are also subject to audits performed by the AustrianCourt of Audit (Rechnungshof).5.3 Documentation and statisticsSince 2003 a standardised computer-based documentation system has been inplace for all service areas. There is a computerised file for each client, containingpersonal data, data on his/her situation (delinquency, housing, finances,education and training, employment, health, psychosocial situation) and dataconcerning the order. The file also includes a working concept (planned goals andstages to attain them), timeline records and reasons for termination of thesupervision. Each service area has binding documentation rules coveringdifferent minimum and maximum standards for each area. As the documentationabout the work of the social worker with the client is part of the computerisedclient documentation, the following goals are achieved in one go:- systematic monitoring and evaluating of their own work by the social workers;- ongoing information on the support status and the goals of the work;- performance assessment and transparency through written record of theservice done.Under the Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz) 2000 data must notnormally be disclosed and/or processed without the consent of the personconcerned. Since the services provided by NEUSTART are based on a statutorymandate, data may be processed without the explicit consent of clients, with theclients of victim protection services being the only exception. All clients areentitled to information about their data being stored. All data are stored via acentral server that enables central evaluations and analyses to be made.Decentralised evaluation options for the 14 NEUSTART agencies are included inthe programme. The following performance figures from the computerised clientdocumentation form the basis for reports to purchasers (e.g. quarterly andannual reports to the Federal Ministry of Justice) as well as for internal standardreports to the Management (some of them monthly) and to the Agency Heads:- performance statistics (recruitment and staffing levels) to monitor the workload (comparison of actual and planned figures) in all service areas;- case statistics with reasons for referral and duration of service (probation,mediation in penal matters, community services);- occupancy figures to monitor the utilisation of the assisted housing;