Legal Basis of Free Legal Aid State System Administration in the Russian Federation

Abstract

The urgency of the problem under investigation is determined by the fact that at times of the global financial crisis, coupled with the economic slowdown in the Russian Federation, there is a need to improve the management of legal aid state system aimed at improving the social protection of low-income citizens, ensuring their access to justice. The article aims to make recommendations on improving the efficiency of public administration of the state system of free legal aid. The leading approach to the study of this problem is to analyze the experience of organizations of free legal assistance in the Russian Federation (on the example of the Volga Federal District), aimed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the system, processing statistical data on applications for its provision and its effectiveness for those who seek it, identifying the contingent of those who applied and determining the effectiveness of the interaction of government institutions and non-governmental organizations in the provision of such assistance. As a result of the research conclusions are drawn about the need to improve the quality level of cooperation between different authorities within the public administration in order to avoid the bureaucratization of procedures for free legal aid, to encourage the mobility of members of the legal state aid, to improve the quality of free legal aid, expanding the list of services provided within it, to actively involve local authorities in the provision of free legal aid as a way of implementing the principle of free and specific access to it. The article may be useful in a practical way for government agencies, local authorities, representatives of the legal community and other participants in the system of free legal aid, as well as for scientific and teaching staff for further research concerning the provision of free legal assistance in accordance with national and international experience.