Access to Criminal Justice – A Study on Criminal Courts and Self-Representation

The purpose of this project is to examine and provide evidence that will hopefully lead to an increase in access to justice in criminal courts.

It is a widely held belief among legal professionals – based on an abundance of practical experience, by criminologists, by socio-legal researchers, and by other justice system participants – that the presence of unrepresented accused in the criminal courts poses fairness challenges and also contributes to inefficiencies in the criminal courts. It is not certain where in the system these effects might be occurring. There is little empirical evidence for these assumptions. The available evidence is, in some cases, decades old. This research would also be part of a larger body of research involving cost/benefit analysis, the costs of justice and access to justice.

The purpose of all of that research, together, is to help promote better access to justice, to provide evidence on which to make the case for why investing in justice and court services is important and cost effective, and why well supported and resourced public courts and justice services are vital to society and democracy. It is hoped that this research will assist with understanding and ultimately improving access to justice, fairness, adjudicative processes, and the overall administration of justice.

Principal Investigator

Trevor C.W. Farrow, Ph.D.

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Ab Currie, Ph.D.