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Effective record management is an essential aspect of modern governance and administration, promoting accountability, transparency, and organizational efficiency. Various sectors, including law enforcement, rely on proper document and record management for policy development, evaluation, financial oversight, and personnel administration (Dikopoulou & Mihiotis, 2012; Zeal et al., 2010). The widespread adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) has led organizations worldwide to shift towards electronic record-keeping systems, aiming to streamline operations and improve data management practices (Mukred & Yusof, 2018). Despite the extensive adoption of electronic document management systems (EDMS) and electronic record management systems (ERMS) in developed countries, complete utilization remains a challenge, especially in emerging economies like South Africa. Notably, the South African police service has gradually shifted from paper-based to electronic-based record systems (Legodi & Dikotla, 2022). Nonetheless, rural police stations face significant hurdles in embracing these new systems (Legodi & Dikotla, 2022; Mosweu et al., 2016).
The Amatole district municipality, situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, constitutes one of the seven districts in the region. The municipality faces substantial crime-related challenges (Rulashe & Ijeoma, 2022). With high crime rates persisting in various provinces, there is a pressing need to prioritize the meticulous recording and management of case files as fundamental components of law enforcement activities across the regions. The manual record-keeping systems commonly utilized in rural police stations are increasingly strained by the growing number of cases and complex criminal investigations (Aziz et al., 2017; Mojapelo, 2022). The escalating crime rates underscore the immediate need to transition from outdated paper-based processes to advanced electronic docket systems. Amid rising crime rates and the complexities of criminal investigations, it is anticipated that the implementation of electronic docket systems would significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement in the Amatole district. Therefore, the shift from manual to electronic case management systems is a practical response to the urgent demands of crime and a strategic measure to foster a more efficient and responsive policing infrastructure in rural policing.
This study delves into the factors influencing the adoption of an electronic docket system in the Amatole district municipality, as a case of a rural police station. The aim is to offer valuable insights into improving record management procedures by examining the level of adoption by officials and docket management and the obstacles hindering the technology's adoption at the stations. The choice of the Amatole district is based on its unique contextual factors, such as its crime rates, its socio-economic challenges, and the distinctive characteristics of rural policing in South Africa. These factors make it a pertinent case study for evaluating the adoption and implementation of electronic docket systems in rural police stations. The purpose of this initiative is to facilitate policy development and promote the use of ERMS through a comprehensive analysis of the relevant factors. The following research questions guide the study:
- 1.
How are case dockets managed in the rural police stations, specifically within the Amatole district municipality?
- 2.
What is the level of computer literacy and access to computer resources among officials in the Amatole district municipality?
- 3.
What factors influence the adoption of electronic file management systems within the Amatole district municipality?
The rest of the paper is structured as follows: the second section presents a brief overview of the literature, the third section discusses the methodology, the fourth section highlights the results of the findings, and the fifth section concludes the paper.