According to the European Convention on Human Rights and it’s UK counterpart, the Human Rights Act, each and every individual in the UK and EU has a right to life, liberty, expression, and a fair trial…..but in reality, children don’t get the same access to these rights as adults. This inequity is what Lesley Laver’s work aims to address.
Public systems are complex and the information needed to understand and access entitlements are rarely made clear or accessible. This puts children (and adults with difficulties) at a major disadvantage and means they are far less likely to be given equal opportunity to engage in proceedings and access justice. Research demonstrates that despite saying they understand the ‘police caution’, nearly all arrested children observed are unable to fully explain what it means (Sim & Lamb, 2018: An analysis of how the police ‘caution’ is presented to juvenile suspects in England). In this regard, children have little access to their fundamental right to silence and thus comparably less access to a fair trial than adults. Children’s access to justice as witnesses or victims is also compromised by a system that demands the ability to comprehend and rebut suggestive or leading questions under pressure.
Lesley Laver specialises in improving access to rights and justice for vulnerable parties in the Criminal Justice System through training, research and intermediary services. She works with young and otherwise vulnerable suspects, witnesses and victims of crime to ensure they have access to the information they need and are heard when it matters most. She also works with police officers, lawyers, appropriate adults, courts and policymakers to evaluate and develop systems to improve engagement in the legal process.
Lesley Laver 