Private Prosecution Guided Pathway

Overview

The Problem: Lack of Guidance and Informational Support

Victims of gender-based violence in Ontario encounter difficulties in navigating the legal process to seek justice. The absence of clear guidance and support poses challenges for individuals wishing to pursue a private prosecution against the perpetrator. To address this, a user-friendly pathway was developed to assist victims in completing court forms required for private prosecution. By offering clear instructions and support, this pathway empowers victims and streamlines the process of seeking legal redress for incidents of gender-based violence.

Overview

In my role as a Guided Pathways Analyst at Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO), I was tasked with transforming a one-page vision concept note into a fully functional guided pathway. Guided Pathways facilitate the process of legal document completion and letter drafting, streamlining the journey for individuals seeking assistance. Specifically, the Private Prosecution Guided Pathway is designed to help individuals:

  • Learn about certain types of crimes

  • Prepare to talk to the police, either for the first time, or at any point during an investigation

  • Learn about what’s involved in applying for a private prosecution

  • Decide whether they want to apply for a private prosecution Complete an application for a private prosecution

Team

Software Programmers, Lawyers, Legal Researchers, Subject Matter Experts, and Software Usability Testers

Role

UX Design • User Acceptance Testing (UAT) • Prototyping • Content Strategist • Digital Strategist

Tools

Access to Justice (A2J) Software • JIRA • Microsoft Office Suite • RunStraight Hub Portal

Process

The creation of a guided pathway for private prosecutions was a meticulous endeavour, requiring a fusion of legal expertise and technological innovation. This process unfolded through iterative stages, from initial research and collaborative drafting to the development of a functional pathway on A2J software. Each step was marked by meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to ensuring legal accuracy and usability, ultimately leading to the release of a robust minimum viable product for public access. The following are some steps that were taken during this two year process:

  • Conduct comprehensive research and collaborate with legal experts to understand the intricacies of private prosecutions.

  • Draft a concise concept note outlining key objectives and components; solicit stakeholder feedback and revisions.

  • Expand the concept note into a detailed outline of the guided pathway; review with legal researchers and subject matter experts.

  • Transform the outline into a visual flowchart depicting the overall pathway flow; seek feedback for clarity and coherence.

  • Translate the flowchart into a functional pathway on A2J software with collaboration from software programmers.

  • Test the initial prototype for functionality and user experience; iterate based on feedback.

  • Incorporate public legal educational information (PLEI) to enhance user understanding; refine through usability testing.

  • Review the pathway with lawyers and judges to ensure legal accuracy and relevance.

  • Finalize the minimum viable product (MVP) for usability testing.

  • Publish the pathway on the live environment for additional usability testing and eventual public use.

Final Product

Introducing the solution: a comprehensive guided pathway designed to empower victims of gender-based violence in Ontario, offering clarity and support through every step of the legal process, as shown below. For more information about the guided pathway, please visit the Steps to Justice: Guided Pathways website.

While the details of the work I undertook for this project are mostly confidential due to the nature of the work, I would be happy to share my experiences with you on a call or walk you through the final product. Please contact me at elize.khan@mail.utoronto.ca