Legally speaking : the potential for a "plain English" movement in the Winnipeg Juvenile Court

dc.contributor.authorSmith-Gadacz, Trudie Fayeen_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-05-22T21:06:47Z
dc.date.available2012-05-22T21:06:47Z
dc.date.issued1982en_US
dc.degree.disciplineSociologyen_US
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US
dc.description.abstractThis thesis examines the potential for a "Plain English" movement in the Winnipeg juvenile court in the Province of Manitoba, Canada. The writer perceives that there is a failure of communication between the juvenile and the court which has resulted from the use of legal language or legalese. The degree of understanding of the language used in juvenile court proceedings, from the juvenile's perspective, needs to be assessed. The juvenile's understanding of the legal process is evaluated through the administration of an interview schedule. In addition to interviewing juveniles, probation officers, defense counsel and juvenile court judges are also interviewed to determine their role in the explanation process of the legal language to which the juvenile is exposed and subjected. Thus this study has four parts. Five hypotheses are set forth. Specifically, a juvenile's understanding of legal language is dependent on his/her contact with (1) probation services, (2) defense counsel,and (3) the judge's explanation of the language, process and procedure of the court. In addition, (4) time spent in custody is believed to affect understanding. Finally, (5) a juvenile's sense of justice (fairness) is thought to be affected by his/her understanding of legal language. In general, the data support the hypotheses. It is concluded that there is indeed the potential for a "Plain English" movement in the Winnipeg juvenile court. Certain recommendations are made which are believed to contribute to the juvenile's understanding of legal language.en_US
dc.format.extentxii, 251 leaves :en_US
dc.identifierocm72805402en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/6907
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.titleLegally speaking : the potential for a "plain English" movement in the Winnipeg Juvenile Courten_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
local.subject.manitobayesen_US
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