The 2021 Survey Instrument
The Justice Gap Measurement Survey Instrument, prepared by NORC, contains the text and organization of the questions as asked of respondents programmed for use in CAWI and CATI.
Section 1: Introduction
Every day, millions of low-income Americans grapple with civil legal problems, which often involve basic needs like safe housing, access to health care, child custody, and protection from abuse. Most “go it alone” when dealing with these problems – without…
Section 2: Today’s Low-income America
Typically, legal aid organizations can use LSC funds only to serve the legal needs of people with household incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. These people make up the set of “low-income Americans” of central focus…
Section 3: The Prevalence of Civil Legal Problems
A significant majority of low-income American households have faced at least one civil legal problem in the past year, and most have had to deal with multiple problems. These problems typically relate to essential needs like housing, health care, and…
Section 4: Seeking and Receiving Legal Help
While a significant majority of low-income Americans faced at least one civil legal problem in the past year, they rarely sought legal help. And even when they sought legal help, they typically did not get as much help as they…
Section 5: Comparing Income Groups
Leveraging the 2021 Justice Gap Measurement Survey’s sample of households above 125% of the federal poverty level, this section compares the experiences of low- and higher-income Americans in seeking and receiving legal help for recent civil legal problems. More specifically,…
Section 6: Reports from the Field
Sections Four and Five examined the justice gap through the lens of people’s personal experiences dealing with specific civil legal problems. This section looks at the justice gap through a different lens: legal aid organizations’ experiences trying to help low-income…
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments LSC acknowledges the generous support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Reynolds Family Foundation for funding for this study. Funders do not determine…
Homelessness Averted
Legal Services of New Jersey Homelessness Averted With a Reverse Mortgage and Help From Legal Services.