Educating people about their rights and responsibilities has been one of the long-standing functions of public legal education. Topics have included matters relating to their residence, their family, their workplace, and their community.
PLE also prepares people to play important roles in our justice system, including serving as parties to legal actions, witnesses, jurors, and advocates for reforms.
These forms of PLE promote notions of citizenship and civic engagement. They have the effect of encouraging people to feel part of the communities in which they live. It gives them a sense of social worth and mutual obligation.