CAREER: Equitable Access to Justice: Determinants of Engagement with the Civil Justice System

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

The United States justice system faces a serious crisis known as the civil justice gap. Not only do more people need civil legal assistance than are able to obtain it but also evidence indicates that many people who need legal assistance do not seek help. Although little is known about why the civil justice gap exists, available research suggests that the barriers to legal assistance are complex and multi-faceted. As society grapples with reducing the civil justice gap, there is a growing need to understand (1) public perceptions of the legal system and civil justice problems and (2) when, why, and how people seek legal assistance or resolve civil justice problems on their own. This research offers a nuanced understanding of these aims that specifically considers group differences in public perceptions and legal assistance seeking. Of special concern are people whom the legal system has historically underserved, such as people of color and those in low-income households. The empirical foundation provided through this research is essential for developing much needed models of civil justice assistance-seeking behavior. Through integrated research, education, and outreach activities, this CAREER project addresses several objectives: (1) map community members’ perceptions of the legal system, civil justice problems, and legal self-efficacy to examine group differences in these perceptions; (2) identify predictors of legal assistance seeking for civil justice problems and successful problem-solving outside of the legal system; (3) develop, implement, and disseminate a community-based access-to-justice program using participatory action research methods; and (4) develop experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to work in diverse communities with cultural competence and cultural humility. The first two objectives center on a multi-part field study, including a large-scale, national community survey to assess community members’ perceptions and a longitudinal multi-method study examining civil justice problems and resolution pathways. The project also engages local communities collaboratively to develop a program aimed at addressing local needs related to civil justice problems, including the production of materials for nation-wide dissemination. Findings from this project provide an empirical foundation for models of civil justice decision-making that inform theory development in the field of access to justice and provide evidence needed to design effective initiatives to reduce the civil justice gap. This project is jointly funded by Law and Science and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.