A/RES/67/187 United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems convictions, prison overcrowding and congestion in the courts, and reducing reoffending and revictimization. It may also protect and safeguard the rights of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice process. Legal aid can be utilized to contribute to the prevention of crime by increasing awareness of the law. 4. Legal aid plays an important role in facilitating diversion and the use of community-based sanctions and measures, including non-custodial measures; promoting greater community involvement in the criminal justice system; reducing the unnecessary use of detention and imprisonment; rationalizing criminal justice policies; and ensuring efficient use of State resources. 5. Regrettably, many countries still lack the necessary resources and capacity to provide legal aid for suspects, those charged with a criminal offence, prisoners, victims and witnesses. 6. The United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, which are drawn from international standards and recognized good practices, aim to provide guidance to States on the fundamental principles on which a legal aid system in criminal justice should be based and to outline the specific elements required for an effective and sustainable national legal aid system, in order to strengthen access to legal aid pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2007/24 of 26 July 2007, entitled “International cooperation for the improvement of access to legal aid in criminal justice systems, particularly in Africa”. 7. In line with the Lilongwe Declaration on Accessing Legal Aid in the Criminal Justice System in Africa and the Lilongwe Plan of Action for the implementation of the Declaration, the Principles and Guidelines follow a broad concept of legal aid. 8. For the purposes of the Principles and Guidelines, the term “legal aid” includes legal advice, assistance and representation for persons detained, arrested or imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence and for victims and witnesses in the criminal justice process that is provided at no cost for those without sufficient means or when the interests of justice so require. Furthermore, “legal aid” is intended to include the concepts of legal education, access to legal information and other services provided for persons through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and restorative justice processes. 9. For the purposes of the Principles and Guidelines, the individual who provides legal aid is herein referred to as the “legal aid provider”, and the organizations that provide legal aid are referred to as the “legal aid service providers”. The first providers of legal aid are lawyers, but the Principles and Guidelines also suggest that States involve a wide range of stakeholders as legal aid service providers in the form of non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, religious and non-religious charitable organizations, professional bodies and associations and academia. Provision of legal aid to foreign nationals should conform to the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 8 and other applicable bilateral treaties. 10. It should be noted that States employ different models for the provision of legal aid. These may involve public defenders, private lawyers, contract lawyers, pro bono schemes, bar associations, paralegals and others. The Principles and Guidelines do not endorse any specific model but encourage States to guarantee the _______________ 8 4/20 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 596, No. 8638.