AUSTRALIA 
Arnhem Land locals lack legal understanding, report
Thursday, 29 May, 2008
Arnhem Land locals. (AAP)
A report says more than 90 per cent of people from Arnhem Land do not understand basic legal concepts with many Aborigines under the impression that white society is lawless.
Richard Trudgen CEO of the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services says this has resulted in wrongful imprisonment and massive confusion with some communities unaware that rape is illegal.
In a report titled An Absence of Mutual Respect researchers spoke to Yolngu people from a cross-section of the community.
They were quizzed on the 30 most commonly used English legal words such as bail, commit, arrest, charge and guilty.
The ARDS report found 95 per cent of Yolngu people were unable to correctly identify their meaning.
Source: AAP
Richard Trudgen CEO of the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services says this has resulted in wrongful imprisonment and massive confusion with some communities unaware that rape is illegal.
In a report titled An Absence of Mutual Respect researchers spoke to Yolngu people from a cross-section of the community.
They were quizzed on the 30 most commonly used English legal words such as bail, commit, arrest, charge and guilty.
The ARDS report found 95 per cent of Yolngu people were unable to correctly identify their meaning.
Source: AAP
