Scoping the Future Law and Social Justice - Listening & Hearing from the Frontline

我们的建议是一个为期八个月的范围界定项目，以确定在法律和社会正义领域的AHRC的研究重点，研究的广泛领域与不同的重点（UKRI，2021年）。它探讨了法律和法律的机构在应对当代社会挑战方面所发挥的作用，例如与性别、COVID-19大流行、现代奴隶制、仇恨犯罪、不平等、资本主义和气候变化相关的挑战，以实现一个更加公正的社会，特别是围绕满足受排斥、弱势和边缘化社区的需求和维护其权利。在审议澳大利亚人权委员会确定的次主题（治理、公民身份和代表权、过渡时期司法和排斥文化）时，我们注意到，目前在这些领域的许多辩论都以问责概念为基础。与法治产生强烈共鸣，人们普遍认为，更负责任的机构可以促进文化参与，愈合，应对社会挑战并创造经济价值（Bovens 2016，2017）。鉴于2019冠状病毒病大流行以及公众对国家及其机构的信任度明显下降，加强机构问责的必要性变得更加紧迫。基于这些原因，我们认为公共和私营部门机构的问责制是一个跨越其他分主题界限的分主题。问责次主题是澳大利亚人权委员会每一次主题的重要基础;如果以透明、谨慎、循证、真诚、严格、系统和资源充足的方式实施问责，就有助于确保对法治和法律的制度的信心。加强问责制将改善治理、公民身份和代表性，处理和改善过渡时期司法，避免和防止排斥文化。我们的建议的核心优势之一在于拟议的研究团队有能力确保弱势，受排斥和边缘化社区的声音被纳入这一范围界定工作。新倡议的发起和政策的制定往往没有考虑到最终用户的实际经验。正如我们在下面的方法中所概述的那样，我们将通过我们的研究合作伙伴直接接触这些声音。我们将确保他们在法律和法律的机构方面的生活和不同经验被收集和纳入我们的数据分析，并被纳入最后报告，从而直接有助于塑造未来的AHRC供资优先事项。 研究表明，弱势和边缘化群体（84%）的人在遇到法律的问题时不太可能求助于律师，而是求助于“可信的中间人”（法律调查委员会，2015年; Pleasence & Balmer 2018年）。这些受信任的中介机构是为处于不利地位、易受伤害或被排斥的人提供服务或支持的提供者。他们向中介机构寻求专业支持，包括健康、社会服务、社区/青年工作和第三部门的倡导者。 研究小组成员与同意作为该项目合作伙伴的中介机构有联系（见18封支持信）。这些组织将开辟与边缘化和受排斥群体接触的途径。这些合作伙伴都表示愿意参加访谈、重点小组（第二阶段）和最后圆桌会议（第五阶段）。

Our proposal is for an eight-month scoping project to identify research priorities for the AHRC in the area of law and social justice, a broad field of study with diverse points of focus (UKRI, 2021). It explores the role that the law and legal institutions play in addressing contemporary social challenges such as those associated with gender, the COVID-19 pandemic, modern slavery, hate crime, inequality, capitalism, and climate change to achieve a more just society, particularly around meeting the needs and safeguarding the rights of excluded, vulnerable and marginalised communities. In considering the subthemes identified by the AHRC (governance, citizenship & representation, transitional justice, and cultures of exclusion), we note that many of the current debates in these fields are underpinned by the notion of accountability. Resonating strongly with the rule of law, it is broadly accepted that more accountable institutions can enable cultural participation, healing, address social challenges and create economic value (Bovens 2016, 2017). The case for enhanced accountability of institutions becomes even more pressing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived decline in public trust in the State and its agencies. For these reasons, we consider that the accountability of public and private sector bodies serves as a subtheme that crosses over the boundaries of the other subthemes. The accountability subtheme is a crucial underpinning of each of the AHRC's sub-themes; if it is effected in a way that is transparent, mindful, evidence-based, genuine, rigorous, systematic and well-resourced, it helps ensure confidence in the rule of law and the legal system. Strengthened accountability will improve governance, citizenship and representation, and address and improve transitional justice and avert and prevent cultures of exclusion. One of the core strengths of our proposal lies in the proposed research team's ability to ensure that the voices of vulnerable, excluded and marginalised communities are included in this scoping exercise. Too often, new initiatives are launched and policies developed without considering the lived experience of end-users. As outlined in our Methodology below, we will seek to engage these voices directly throughout the project by reaching out to them through our research partners. We will ensure that their lived and diverse experiences of law and legal institutions are captured and integrated within our data analysis and captured within the Final Report, thus contributing directly to shaping future AHRC funding priorities. Research has shown that people in vulnerable and marginalised groups (84%) are unlikely to turn to lawyers when they have a legal problem but rather turn to 'trusted intermediaries', (Law Commission of Inquiry, 2015; Pleasence & Balmer 2018). These trusted intermediaries are service or support providers to people experiencing disadvantage, vulnerability or who are excluded. They turn to intermediaries for professional support including health, social services, community / youth works and advocates from the third sector. Members of the research team have links to such intermediaries who have agreed to work as partners on this project (see 18 letters of support). These organisations will open pathways to engage with marginalised and excluded groups. These partners have all indicated a willingness to be participants themselves in interviews, focus groups (Phase 2) and in the final roundtable (Phase 5).