Resources for Performing and Using a Legal Needs Assessment
A. Why Do a Legal Needs Assessment?
CLICK HERE to read how one program leader used the results of a needs assessment to grow and diversify his program's funding at a time when others were facing drastic cuts.
B. Overview of Methods and Applications for Legal Needs Studies
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CLICK HERE for an overview presentation by The Resource of the rationale, methods, and applications for legal needs assessments by civil justice advocates.
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CLICK HERE for a summary by The Resource distributed at our recent session at the NLADA Annual Conference.
C. Sample Legal Needs Study Reports
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"Perspectives on Poverty & Civil Legal Need in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, & Montgomery Counties. A 2009-10 Assessment for Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. March 2010." By The Resource for Great Programs.
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"Ocean-Monmouth Legal Services - 2009 Legal Needs Assessment." By The Resource for Great Programs.
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New York - "Findings of Lake Research Partners on Civil Legal Needs Among Low Income New York State Residents," November 2010.
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"State Legal Needs Studies Point to 'Justice Gap.' Recent studies validate findings of 1993 ABA study regarding lack of access by low-income people." Dialogue Magazine, Summer 2005, pg. 32, 34-35. By Robert Echols, State Support Consultant for the ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives.
D. Other Resources
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The Resource for Great Programs
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The ABA Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Aid (August 2006):
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ABA Access-to-Justice Support Program:
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ATJ Web Page
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ATJ Support Library - (Click the "Legal Needs" check box.)
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National Legal Aid & Defender Association's E-Library: (Search "legal needs" and "needs assessment.")
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Legal Services Corporation 45 CFR Part 1620:
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Priorities in the Use of Resources
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Compliance Requirement and Suggested Audit Procedures
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LSC Performance Criteria (2007 Edition)
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LSC Resource Library
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Program Resources: Legal Needs Assessments
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Needs Assessments
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LSC - Documenting the Justice Gap in America (September 2009)
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Demographic data & statistics
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U.S. Census
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American Factfinder