• E4J University Module Series: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

• Module 3: Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

• • Key terms
  • Topic 1.  Introduction to the international standards and norms
  • Topic 2.  Identifying the need for legal aid, and the benefits and costs of legal aid
  • Topic 3.  Key components of the right of access to legal aid
  • Topic 4.  Access to legal aid for those with specific needs
  • Topic 5.  Models for governing, administering and funding legal aid
  • Topic 6.  Models for delivering legal aid services
  • Topic 7.  Roles and responsibilities of legal aid providers, and other criminal justice officials
  • Topic 8.  Quality assurance and legal aid services
  • Summary
  • References

• Exercises

• Case studies

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Student assessment

• Additional teaching tools

• Guidelines to develop a stand-alone course

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• First published in January 2019
  

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  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

Summary

 

Legal aid is an essential element of a fair, humane and efficient criminal justice system that is based on the rule of law (United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, 2013, Recital 1). This Module provides lecturers with a range of materials to assist students to understand the importance of effective access to legal aid for suspected and accused persons. A key objective of the Module is to provide materials that will enhance teaching on the primary international standards and norms regarding access to legal aid in criminal justice systems. Accordingly, the Module focuses extensively on the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems ('UNPG'). Recognising the differences among legal systems, criminal procedural traditions, and criminal justice institutions, processes and cultures in a range of jurisdictions, the Module presents multi-jurisdictional examples to illustrate how international standards and norms may be given practical effect in a broad range of contexts.

 

Next: References

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