NCJ Number
127889
Date Published
1990
Length
169 pages
Annotation
This study explores and evaluates the work of British law centres and focuses on their contribution to citizens' rights.
Abstract
Law centres, a recent innovation in England and Wales, are funded by various charities, local and central governments, and the legal aid scheme. Centre lawyers are salaried. Many centres are located in inner-city areas and provide services to poor residents. In helping the poor pursue their legal rights and gain effective access to legal forums, centre lawyers often cooperate with social and community workers. Centres are of two types: the "open-door," reactive centres that focus on the problems of individual clients and the "closed-door" or proactive centres that focus on legal issues that impact the community as a whole. This study first analyzes the origins and formative development of the law centres, noting how the majority of centres have adopted a predominantly "open-door" strategy. Some of the operational difficulties of "open-door" centers are identified, and their effectiveness in empowering individual citizens to pursue their legal rights is assessed. A chapter on the proactive work of centres outlines their work and goals. A review of the law-centre movement in the 1980's notes the continuing difficulties facing law centres as well as the movement's innovative approaches for meeting client needs. A discussion of the centres' role in the 1990's and beyond provides a broad outline of the principles and organizational structure that should inform any future national network of the centres. Chapter notes, a 190-item bibliography, and a subject index