This cutting-edge initiative is one of the first attempts to gather empirical evidence and provide reliable empirical data to advocate for a more rational use of pre-trial detention. It draws attention to the links between access to justice and the MDGs.

The research goes beyond a mere snapshot of detainees in the three countries. Key family members of detainees are interviewed to capture relevant socio-economic information such as family economic conditions prior to the arrest, the impacts of detention on the economic and social stability of the family, broader implications for the community, impacts on the health of detainees and their families, as well as financial pressures from corruption and common coping strategies.

Source: www.beta.undp.org