Free legal aid is a cornerstone of the criminal justice system. It serves to prevent violations of the right to effective judicial protection, and to guarantee the rights of crime victims. Through the establishment or strengthening of victim assistance centers, the aim is to optimize the capacities of national institutions to provide integrated legal assistance services that respond to the multiple needs of victims.
The centers are configured as a comprehensive victim assistance mechanism that aims to offer services related to victims' needs, such as legal representation in criminal proceedings, legal assistance in the civil area for the reparation of damages, legal advice in administrative proceedings, psychological or medical assistance, among others. Additionally, the centers operate based on cross-cutting approaches to gender and rights issues.
Through a competition for innovative ideas, 7 institutions were provided with technical and financial assistance, and created pilot processes to coordinate free legal services and specialized assistance for victims of crime. In addition, training was provided to officials and people involved in free legal assistance services to improve care for victims. The target countries were Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.
Guatemala
1. "Bufete Popular Central de la Universidad San Carlos (USAC)": Online Legal Radio "La Voz del Bufete Popular". Installation of two virtual courtrooms to strengthen access to justice for women, children and adolescent victims of violence.
2. Public Criminal Defense Institute: Development of a digital platform for legal attention and assistance to victims and their families.
Instituto para la Asistencia y Atención a Víctimas del Delito: Development of a national directory of institutions, NGOs and other entities that provide free legal services.
El Salvador
3. Attorney General's Office (AGO) and its Specialized Care Unit for Women, Children and Adolescents: "Model for legal and psychosocial assistance to victims". Remodeling of a room for assistance to victims of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants and installation of a toy library for victims and underage family members.
4. Francisco Gavidia University (UFG), Center for Legal Practice and Psychological Clinic: “Center for assistance to victims and relatives of victims of violence”.Development of the Integrated System for Digital Assistance to Victims (SIAD) and the Monitoring System of Legal Practices in Victim’s Cases (SIPAJU).
Honduras
5. National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), Free Legal Clinic of the Faculty of Legal Sciences: "Comprehensive Catalog of Victims’ Assistance". Update of the catalog of institutions that provide free services to victims of crime.
Dominican Republic
6. Public Prosecutor's Office: implementation of a portal for registration and orientation of users who are victims of crime.
7. Centro de Servicios Legales para la Mujer (CENSEL) and the CACTUS Foundation: strengthening and expanding the network of community promoters to provide legal assistance to victims of crime and violence in five communities.