NCJ Number
50388
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
A DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED OF THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC REPRESENTATION'S EXPERIENCE IN CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN A PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM TO AID ATTORNEYS, RESEARCHERS, AND PUBLIC DECISIONMAKERS.
Abstract
THE CENTER, LOCATED IN MADISON, WISC., IS AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT LAW FIRM INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS, WOMEN AND MINORITIES, THE ELDERLY, THE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONCERNED, JUVENILES, EXOFFENDERS, THE MENTALLY ILL, AND THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED. THE FIRM ALSO HAS A CLINICAL PROGRAM FOR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN LAW STUDENTS AND A CITIZEN'S TRAINING PROJECT. INITIAL ORGANIZATIONAL DISCUSSIONS WERE STARTED IN 1973 BY A GROUP OF WISCONSIN LAW PROFESSORS, LAWYERS, AND CITIZENS INTERESTED IN THE FORMATION OF AN INSTITUTION TO PROVIDE BOTH CLINICAL EDUCATION IN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW FOR LAW STUDENTS AND LEGAL AID FOR SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY FREQUENTLY UNREPRESENTED BEFORE STATE AGENCIES. THE FOCUS OF THE CENTER'S EFFORT IS TO DETERMINE ACTION DIRECTIONS, EVALUATE ADVOCACY, GATHER INFORMATION THAT WILL AID IN ESTABLISHING PUBLIC ADVOCACY POSITIONS, AND EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF SPECIFIC LAWS AND DECISIONS ON CLIENT GROUPS. TECHNIQUES USED IN THE CENTER'S SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM INCLUDE SURVEYS OF PUBLIC NEEDS AND DETAILED QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SURVEY DATA, ANTHROPOLOGICAL OBSERVATION OF COMPLEX INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, LEGAL IMPACT STUDIES, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, AND SYSTEMATIC AND THEORETICAL MODELING OF THE ROLE OF ADVOCACY IN THE LEGAL-GOVERNMENTAL PROCESS. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF A RESEARCH PROGRAM IN A PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM ARE NOTED, INCLUDING THOSE RELATING TO FUNDING AND THE INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY WITHIN THE INSTITUTION. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ARE OFFERED. A LIST OF THE CENTER'S RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS IS APPENDED.