Assessing the Impact of Legal Representation on Criminal Sentencing Outcomes for Unrepresented Accused Persons: A Case Study of Bulawayo Metro-Politan Province, Zimbabwe.

Access to legal representation is a fundamental right to ensure a fair trial. In many developing countries, unrepresented accused persons or defendants still struggle to obtain skilled legal assistance. This study investigates on how legal representation affects criminal sentencing outcomes of accused persons without lawyers, mainly focusing on Zimbabwe's criminal justice system. Through a descriptive quantitative approach, 80 participants were surveyed who included magistrates, legal aid practitioners, criminal defense attorneys and former accused persons. Data from structured questionnaires were analyzed with SPSS. Results show a statistically significant link between the presence and quality of legal counsel and sentencing: unrepresented accused persons were more likely to receive custodial sentences, longer prison terms and face fewer acquittals.

Legal representation, unrepresented accused persons, sentencing outcomes, legal aid, criminal justice in Zimbabwe

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