Strategic Leadership and Case Resolution Performance in Police Departments in Juba City, South Sudan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between strategic leadership and crime clearance performance, measured through the number of cases resolved per quarter, within police divisions in Juba City, South Sudan. The contention of the study is that crime clearance performance remains a central indicator of policing effectiveness, particularly in post conflict urban environments where institutional capacity, coordination, and leadership practices directly influence investigative outcomes. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was adopted, integrating quantitative survey data from 235 law enforcement personnel with qualitative insights from key informant interviews. Structured questionnaires measured perceptions of leadership practices and investigative performance, while interviews provided contextual explanations of supervisory processes and operational challenges. Descriptive findings indicated moderately strong clearance performance, with a composite mean score of 3.81. Leadership contribution to case clearance recorded the highest mean of 4.05, suggesting that supervisory direction and oversight are perceived as central drivers of investigative productivity. Reliability analysis confirmed strong internal consistency of the measurement scale, with Cronbach alpha values exceeding 0.79. Pearson correlation analysis revealed statistically significant positive relationships between case resolution and all leadership dimensions, with inclusive leadership showing the strongest association (r = .659), followed by accountable leadership (r = .570), visionary leadership (r = .552), and adaptive leadership (r = .516). Multiple regression results demonstrated that leadership variables collectively explained 48.0 % of the variance in case resolution performance (R² = .480, F = 53.141, p < .001). Inclusive leadership emerged as the strongest independent predictor (β = .462, p < .001), while visionary leadership also showed a significant positive effect (β = .226, p = .001). The findings confirm that collaborative leadership practices and clear strategic direction substantially enhance investigative throughput and case completion within policing institutions operating under complex operational conditions. The study recommends strengthening participatory supervisory structures, improving communication of investigative targets, and institutionalizing routine performance monitoring systems to enhance crime clearance performance in Juba City.