This report is an analysis of 3,145 eviction cases handled by the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto over a three-year period. The data provides the first attempt to evaluate eviction activity in San Mateo County on a wide scale.
Policymakers and Funders
Shackled to Debt: Criminal Justice Financial Obligations and the Barriers to Re-Entry They Create
This article serves to discuss Criminal Justice Financial Obligations and raises concerns about how they are implemented. It also considers alternative models for the effective and fair deployment of fines, fees, and restitution in the criminal justice context.
Taking Stock of the Civil Legal Aid Movement in 2015: The Year the Pieces Came Together to Increase Access to Justice in the United States
This document outlines the civil legal aid reform initiatives that occurred in the United States in 2015 and projects the movement’s course in 2016.
The Legal Response to the Employment Needs of Domestic Violence Victims
Runge writes that domestic violence victims present a myriad of legal needs, some of which include needing accommodations at a place of employment, like missing work to attend court or counseling or missing work due to injuries. They may exceed annual leave and be under threat of losing their jobs. Legal aid can help secure accommodations and protect them at the workplace.
Legal Representation in the Juvenile Dependency System: Travis County, Texas’ Parent Representation Pilot Project
This study examines outcomes related to a parent representation pilot program in Travis County, Texas. Researchers collected data from 172 parents involved in the juvenile dependency system. Their independent variable was attorney representation and the dependent variables were (1) return to the parent or dismissal of the juvenile dependency petition, (2) permanent management conservatorship, (3) relative or guardianship care, and (4) aging out of the system. There were 52 pilot cases and 61 control cases.
Legal Needs Assessment of Older Adults in Maine
Legal Services for the Elderly (LSE) is a nonprofit organization in Maine that provides free legal assistance. The University of Maine Center on Aging conducted a legal needs assessment of older Americans in the state. They find that between 45 and 86 percent of those surveyed experienced legal problems within the last three years.
Indefinite Punishment and the Criminal Record: Stigma Reports Among Expungement-Seekers in Illinois
Ipsa-Landa and Loeffler find that criminal records stifle educational, employment, and housing opportunity. They interviewed individuals who are seeking to have their records expunged. They find that these individuals had tried to persuade their landlords and potential employers in the past to overlook their criminal record when applying for housing or a job, but they were often unsuccessful.
Identity Theft: A Low–Income Issue
In this article, Dranoff identifies how identity theft is particularly harmful for low-income individuals. Because identify theft often brings financial loss, those without a financial cushion are often impacted more negatively.
Doctors and Lawyers Collaborating to HeLP Children: Outcomes from a Successful Partnership between Professions
Researchers present a case study of one medical-legal partnership at three pediatric primary care centers. They find that referrals were often for housing and income/health benefits. Of the cases referred to the legal service side of the MLP, 89 percent of them had positive outcomes.
High-Quality Legal Representation for Parents in Child Welfare Cases Results in Improved Outcomes for Families and Potential Cost Savings
This article describes three parent-representation programs: New York City’s Center for Family Representation; Detroit’s Center for Family Advocacy; and Washington State’s Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Program. The article also provides recommendations for evaluating and expanding programs like these.
Legal Aid Research 