A team of graduate students conducted a comprehensive statewide study to assist Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services to identify the most pressing legal needs of low-income Arkansans.
Clinton School students Margaret Hobbs of El Dorado, Ark., Mary Pitre of New Orleans, La., Tyler Pearson of Conway, Ark., and Gregg Potter of Lyndon Station, Wis., spent eight months collecting data from low-income Arkansans and the legal community to learn about the unmet legal needs of Arkansans and the perceptions of the legal community about which needs are the greatest.
The research has shown that the most prevalent legal issues faced by low-income Arkansans relate to family law, consumer matters and government benefits. The legal community consistently ranked family law, consumer, government benefits and juvenile issues as case types that were most prevalent. Focus group data showed that the cost of hiring a lawyer often precludes low-income Arkansans from accessing representation.
The students designed and distributed surveys across the state and conducted focus groups in each Congressional district. The method of surveying both the low-income population and the legal community provided for a particularly comprehensive assessment. With over 1,200 responses, the data maintained a confidence level of 95 percent with a 3.33 margin of error and the high response rate provided rich quantitative and qualitative data.
Using this data, the students produced a report for the organizations that analyzed the findings and gave recommendations for strategic planning. More than 70 percent of respondents to the legal community survey included specific suggestions about how to address the unmet civil legal needs in Arkansas.
“With limited resources at our disposal, it is critical that we focus our services in the areas of greatest need,” said Lee Richardson, executive director of Legal Aid of Arkansas. “This assessment will enhance our ability to target issues and maximize the impact of our work.”
The Clinton School team will present the results of their efforts at the Access to Justice Commission’s annual retreat on April 26.
About Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services
Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services are non-profit legal aid organizations, which provide free civil legal assistance to low-income Arkansans. Their mission is to improve the lives of low-income Arkansans by championing equal access to justice for all, regardless of economic or social circumstances. These two organizations assist thousands of clients every year in priority areas, such as family law, consumer issues, foreclosure prevention and eviction defense. They provide legal assistance in every county across the state.
More information is available at www.arlegalservices.org.
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