Access to justice for disadvantaged communities - Softcover

"...A valuable and readable account of the complex issues facing Law Centres in a political climate that is increasingly hostile to the provision of good quality legal aid services to those most in need. It is particularly useful for the way in which it brings together in one place a number of different accounts of Law Centres and their role in providing access to justice, both historical and contemporary." Journal of Social Policy "The question of access to justice was a fundamental keystone in the creation of the welfare state. This exhaustive review of the history of legal aid and advice, and of the Coalition government's determination to destroy it, reminds us of how much other struggles to defend welfare depend on it. It is a must-read and not just for those concerned narrowly with the law." Gary Craig, Professor of Social Justice, Durham University "This book should be read by anyone with an interest in public policy, law, sociology and access to justice." LSE Review of Books blog "An important read for all of those concerned about the role of the state in creating a more equal and just society for all." John Gaventa, Director, Coady International Institute, STFX University, Canada

Justice is a basic human right in all democratic doctrines, but in the marketization of welfare it's increasingly available only to those who can afford it. Professionals and volunteers are struggling to provide legal counselling and representation to disadvantaged communities. This book explores how strategies to safeguard these vital services can strengthen the basic ethics and principles of public service provision and shows how this might improve the positions of those who administer and need publicly provided legal services.