Education

878. A Role for Aboriginal Legal Services. While improvements to training may make police more aware of ways in which they should interact and communicate with Aborigines and thus improve Aboriginal/police relations, the onus can not be completely upon the police. Aborigines themselves need to be more aware of the role and functions of the police and the way in which the criminal justice system works. There may be a role to play here for Aboriginal Legal Services, which with increased resources, may be able to become involved in basic forms of community legal education.[1449] Material could be prepared setting out in plain terms the various aspects of the legal system, especially the criminal justice system and the court process. Such material could be put on cassette tapes and video recordings made to allow easier dissemination of the information. Where necessary this material could be prepared in appropriate Aboriginal languages. It is preferable that persons with special skills or training be appointed to carry out the particular function of community legal education. Solicitors and field officers employed by Aboriginal Legal Services currently perform this function to some extent, but they are largely taken up with court-related work under intense pressure of time. Appointment of a person to carry out community legal education may in the long run lead to a reduction in the amount of this court work.[1450] JP Harkins in his Inquiry into Aboriginal Legal Aid has recommended against setting up separate community legal education units within Aboriginal legal services. In his view ‘community legal education programs would be best achieved by the solicitors and field officers already in the field serving communities’.[1451]