This report evaluates the benefits and costs of expanding the Domestic Abuse Grant Program (DAGP) to improve access to legal aid for women seeking restraining orders. Overall, the research team estimated that the net benefit from enacting the DAGP expansion would be $9,840,500.
Family
National Evaluation of the Legal Assistance for Victims Program
The Legal Assistance for Victims Program (LAV) “has been a success” by promoting the delivery of high-quality and comprehensive services among legal aid and domestic violence victim service programs. The federal evaluation finds that despite LAV, there is a “chronic unmet need for attorneys.”
Economic Self-Sufficiency among Women Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Received Civil Legal Services
This study, funded by a DOJ award, found that for women who were experiencing intimate partner violence (also called domestic violence) and who received civil legal services for assistance in obtaining a civil protective order or assisting with a family law problem, saw increases in monthly income increase and number of assistance resources decrease. The study finds that “civil legal services are a critical component of a community coordinated response to IPV” (abstract).
Psychological Well-Being Among Women Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Received Civil Legal Services
This study uses Sullivan’s Social and Emotional Well-Being Framework to see why and how women who experienced intimate partner violence (or domestic violence) and received civil legal services experienced improvements in psychological well-being. Women reported a decrease in depressive and PTSD symptoms over one year after receiving civil legal services.
A More Detailed Look at Legal Services by Older Americans Act Funded Providers
Among states with sufficient data to form a full sample, this study reports the distribution percentages representing the needs of the people using the legal assistance offered under the Older Americans Act.
Family Law Information Centers: An Evaluation of Three Pilot Programs
This study looked at the impact of pilot programs which established information centers for litigants in family law cases who did not have attorneys. The survey was taken from 1364 customers at the three Family Law Information Centers and 24 judges who oversee family law cases.
Legal Aid Research 