The Howard League for Penal Reform is concerned that the reforms, whichwill see professionals paid a fixed fee instead of by the hour, willimpact on children involved in criminal proceedings.
Director Frances Crook said: "The work of our own legal team,part-funded by legal aid, has provided access to justice for manyvulnerable children in custody. Fixed fees will threaten this."
The reforms will also impact on the provision of lawyers for family lawcases. Barbara Hopkin, press and publicity officer at the Association ofLawyers for Children, said: "We are worried. A lot of our members havetested their income from the last cases they have done to see what itwould mean if they had been paid under the new system, and there's quitea substantial loss."
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