Specialists on the nation´s judicial system have produced a documentary highlighting the flaws of the Mexican courts and calling for reforms.

Layda Negrete and Roberto Hernández, investigators at the Center for Economic Training and Research (CIDE), are readying the 20-minute film, titled "The Tunnel: Criminal Justice and Public Safety in Mexico," in which they compare Mexico´s justice system with that of Chile.

Chile, which holds oral trials for those accused of crimes, is generally acknowledged as having one of the best systems in the Americas. For every criminal hearing in Chile, three judges are present, and the judges can focus on only one case at a time.

In Mexico´s document-based trial system, judges never see the involved parties face-to-face. Most Mexico City judges have 20 cases on their desks at any given moment, and the excessive workload can result in flawed verdicts, according to the researchers.

CHILE: BEST EXAMPLE

"Chile is the best example of a well-executed reform," said Negrete, adding that the provincial courts have been thoroughly analyzed there. She said that in Mexico, few states´ justice systems have gone through a similar process.

The documentary also tracks the case of a Mexico City man who was detained after being found near the site where a car was stolen. Although the owner of the vehicle testified that he didn´t recognize the man as the car thief, he still had to face trial and was sentenced. He was eventually released after appealing.

The abuse of juveniles who are being held for minor crimes such as petty theft is also documented in the film.

The northern state of Nuevo León is currently the only state in Mexico to hold oral trials. The state approved the reform in 2004. President Vicente Fox has pushed for an overhaul of the nation´s justice system - including oral trials - but he has been unable to push the bill through a divided Congress.