Question 1

Written Exam - A Guide

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the Written Exam is to assess your understanding of the representative’s role in the police station and the skills that are needed to perform that role effectively. Your knowledge and understanding of criminal law, evidence, practice and procedure will also be assessed.

Upon registration, candidate are issued with a copy of our regulations which provide detailed guidance on format, content and assessment criteria.

The Written Exam must be passed prior to undertaking of Part A of the Portfolio.

Exemptions

The Legal Aid Agency provides exemptions from the Written Exam; these are available to:

Those who have completed the Legal Practice Course
Fellows or members of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) who have passed the Institute’s Level 4 Professional Higher Diploma in Law (previously known as the Part 2 examinations) which must include the Criminal Law and Litigation papers
Those who have completed the Bar Professional Training Course

If you are unsure of your exemption you are advised to contact the Legal Aid Agency.

Assessment Format

The Written Exam is a two hour assessment which consists of five questions. Each question is worth 25 marks. You will be required to attempt four questions of the five questions set. If a fifth question is answered, it will not be marked. Questions can be answered in any order. In order to pass the Written Exam you must score at least 50%.

Exams are held every month, for locations and dates

Question 2

PSRAS Timetable

Accepted Answer

Please click here to view the 2024 PSRAS Timetable

Question 3

Government Funding - Claiming Training Funding

Accepted Answer

Signing up to claim Government Funding

${youtube}Signing up to claim Government Funding

${color}[#0060da](Step 1.) Sign Up

${color}[#65247e](Start by going to this page and creating an account:) Sign up for funding

${color}[#65247e](After clicking sign up you will be emailed a confirmation code to the email you used during sign up.)

${color}[#0f5ed2](Step 2.) Choice which option you want to continue registration with

${color}[#65247e](After entering the access code you will be prompted to continue the registration of your account either with:)

Option (1) ${color}[#65247e](Your existing government gateway logins or via)
Option (2) ${color}[#65

Question 4

PSRAS Critical Incidents Test - A Guide

Accepted Answer

The purpose of Critical Incidents Test (CIT) is to assess your effectiveness in advising and assisting clients at the police station. The CIT takes the form of a role play assessment under exam conditions.

On registration, you will be issued with a copy of our regulations which will provide written guidance on the format, content and assessment criteria for the CIT.

Assessment Criteria

The CIT will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Content -This is concerned with the legal, procedural and factual content of your responses, including whether you have analysed the facts correctly and whether you have applied the law to those facts correctly.
Confidence - This is concerned with the extent to which you act with self-assurance in responding to the problem or issue posed.
Control - This is concerned with the extent to which you are able to demonstrate appropriate control in the context of the problem or issue raised.

In order to pass the assessment, you must achieve at least 50% on each criteria, in each scenario.

The CIT can only be attempted by candidates who have been issued with and are in possession of an LAA PIN number OR those who are following the PSQ route without a PIN. There is no exemption from the CIT.

Assessment Format

The CIT comprises of a number of scenarios which will be presented to you on an audio tape. Issues will be posed to you, either verbally or in terms of their behaviour, by police officers, your client or third

Question 5

MCQ Timetable

Accepted Answer

Please click here to view the 2024 MCQ Timetable -

MCQ Timetable

Question 6

PSRAS Portfolio - A Guide

Accepted Answer

The Portfolio will contain detailed studies of nine cases in which you have been involved with both the giving of advice, and attendance at an interview between the police and the client, at a police station.

On registration, you will be issued with a copy of our regulations which will provide detailed guidance on the format, content and assessment criteria.

The purpose of the Portfolio is to:

Enable us to assess your competence to give advice in police stations
Encourage you to consider and reflect upon your performance in the police station
Encourage your supervising solicitor to review your competence and to take steps to address any deficiencies

The Portfolio consists of three stages, to be completed in two parts in the following chronological order:

Part A Stage One - Two cases in which you have observed your supervising solicitor provide advice to a client in a police station.
Part A Stage Two - Two cases in which you have provided advice to a client in a police station whilst being observed by your supervising solicitor.
Part B - Five cases in which you have provided advice to a client in a police station unsupervised.

Part A (four cases) can be submitted at any time for a technical compliance check. The cases must be within three months of the date of submission. Following submission, an application is made to the Legal Aid Agency for a probationary PIN number.

When probationary status is received, candidates may under

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