Opinion | How Ontario can save money by investing in legal aid for at-risk people

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Opinion: People without lawyers end up self-representing, delaying proceedings and costing the court system far more than they would have if they had legal aid.

of more than $2 billion and seeking further efficiencies, Premier Ford should not only restore but increase LAO’s budget in order to expand the services it provides — and ultimately save the province money.

Acutely, people denied service under the policy end up self-representing, which delays proceedings and costs the court system far more time — and by extension, money — than they would have if they had lawyers. Strictly from an efficiency standpoint, it makes sense to provide lawyers to all those who need them, no matter the severity of their charges. Further, denial of service imposes longer-term costs.

This matters because people with criminal records who turn to crime will, if caught, require LAO’s services in the future. When a court considers what sentence to impose on a convicted person, it reviews the person’s criminal record. A bad record can escalate a sentence. It follows that a person avoidably convicted of a criminal offence is more likely to have their liberty at risk, and thus to receive LAO representation if convicted of a subsequent offence.

 

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