Assessing the Level of Public Trust: Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County, Liberia

The study evaluated public trust in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Gbarnga City, Bong County, Liberia. It explored community perceptions and the factors influencing procedural and substantive justice trust. Trust reflects the belief in an institution's competence and effectiveness in achieving its goals. Interviews were conducted with 96 randomly selected community members. Data were analyzed descriptively, along with measurement of satisfaction levels of the citizens on the performance of the Ninth Judicial Court in the provision of procedural and substantive justice using a five-point Likert scale. Trust was assessed on an 11-point scale (0 - no trust, 10 - complete trust). The determinants of trust were identified by correlating mean satisfaction ratings with respondents' trust levels. Additional factors like prior court experience and trusting attitudes were also examined. Results showed weak to moderate correlations. Most respondents were male, single, aged 31-40, and fairly educated, with 43 percent having filed a court case. Ratings for responsiveness, integrity, and fairness leaned towards dissatisfaction, while reliability and openness received neutral to satisfied ratings for both procedural and substantive justice. Overall trust was moderate (5.20 out of 10). The study recommended measures to enhance public trust in the 9th Judicial Circuit Court.