Estudios sobre acceso a la justicia utilizan categorías conceptuales como problemas justiciables, necesidades jurídicas y cursos de acción. Este estudio analiza los estándares actuales de estudios empíricos de acceso a la justicia y ofrece una perspectiva dinámica, centrada de la autonomía de las personas y comprehensiva de estos conceptos. Propone que los problemas justiciables deben entenderse de manera dinámica e introduce los conceptos de problemas coligados, clústeres de problemas, supraproblemas y problemas secundarios. También distingue entre los componentes de conocimiento, voluntad y recursos económicos en la configuración de necesidades jurídicas instrumentales, sistémicas y sustantivas. Finalmente, ofrece una definición dinámica de las trayectorias de acceso a la justicia en contraposición a la idea de etapas exclusivas e independientes. El entendimiento dinámico, centrado en la autonomía y comprehensivo del acceso a la justicia fortalecen el análisis del acceso a la justicia en acción.

This study seeks to identify the underlying factors related to the sentencing process for juvenile justice cases in Chile. To this end, a factorial survey method or quasi-experimental vignette method was used. This method allows us to understand with greater clarity the complex cognitive process involved in judicial decision-making. The results confirm that legal factors carry the critical weight for judicial decisions, though extralegal factors also play a role. Among these, factors associated with the offender (such as drug use and school attendance) and characteristics of the judges themselves (such as judicial attitudes and their previous experience) all influenced the decision-making process. These findings allow us to provide evidence about decision-making in the Latin American contexts and add to existing evidence in order to understand the moderating effect of certain class and gender stereotypes.

This article sought to understand the adequacy of criminal defense services within prisons. By analyzing secondary data and interviews, it describes the justiciable problems and legal needs, the lines of action, and the obstacles that the adult prison population encounters. The results show that the experience and needs that arise in prison surpass the institutional capabilities of the chilean Public Defender’s Office. Therefore, a new institutional framework must be created to meet the justice claims of prisoners.