Table of Contents

	Table of Contents
	Dedication
	Foreword, by Gordon Proudfoot, President, Canadian Bar Association
	Preface, James MacLatchie, Executive Director, John Howard Society of Canada
	Table of Contents
I	Introduction
		Challenges Faced by Criminal Courts in Canada Today
		Literacy Awareness is One Effective Response to these Pressures
II	Literacy and Legal Literacy
		Definitions
		Canadian Literacy Levels
		Literacy Levels of Offenders
III	Judges and Lawyers are Aware of the Impact of Literacy Barriers on the Courts
		Judge Gilles Renaud Ontario Court (Provincial Division)
		Michael Edelson, Defence Lawyer
		Phil Knight, a B.C. Lawyer who specializes in Legislative Drafting and Legal Language
		Judge Dianne Nicholas Ontario Court (Provincial Division)
IV	Judges and Lawyers are Finding Ways to Protect the Rights of People with Low Literacy Skills
		Identifying Literacy Problems and Barriers
		Reducing the Barriers
		Arranging for Support Services
		Recommending Literacy Training as Part of a Rehabilitative Sentence
V	The Importance of the Right to Understand in Case Law
		A Landmark Case: R. c. Evans
		Subsequent Cases which Uphold the Right to Understand
		Two Cases Which Cite Low Literacy as a Factor Relevant to the Right to Understand
VI	Barriers in the Criminal Justice System to the Right to Understand
		Barriers for the Accused
		Barriers at Each Stage of the Process
		Barriers for Victims and Witnesses
		Barriers for Jurors
VII	Some Impacts of Literacy Problems on the Courts
		Literacy Problems can Limit Access to Justice
		The Courts can be Accused of Systemic discrimination Against People with Low Literacy Skills
		Failure to Respond Appropriately to Someone with Low Literacy Skills can Reduce Court Efficiency and Effectiveness
		Problems for Justice can Result When Literacy Difficulties Are Not Taken Into Account
		When People Do Not Understand the Court System, They Lose Faith in the Process
		Literacy Awareness by Court Officials can Contribute to Crime Prevention and Potentially to Reduced Court Caseloads
VIII	Making Connections with Literacy Organizations
		National Literacy Coalitions
		Provincial/Territorial Literacy Coalitions
IX	Making Connections with Public Legal Education and Information Organizations
X	Additional Tools and Resources
XI	End Notes


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