| Clients Served By Legal Aid Societies
Estimate of Residents In Need Of Legal Assistance
(10% of People Who are Eligible for Legal Aid Actually Receive Them)
Availability of Pro
Bono Legal Services
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3,000 per year(a)
500-600 per year(b)
Only
15.2 of the Legal needs of the poor are being met and only 20% of legal problems of the
poor are addressed.
20% fewer legal services attorneys than a decade ago.
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- For every problem for which legal assistance was received, four went
unassisted.
- Two legal problems per year for every ten persons.
- Women need help because of domestic violence and divorce. Domestic
violence restraining orders are complex and overwhelming and so difficult that many people
after receiving forms fail to fill them out or file them when complete unless they receive
assistance and follow up. Divorce precipitates financial disaster and tremendous suffering
for women and children of all classes.
- According to a California Fair Employment and Housing Commission report,
there is discrimination against people who are or appear to be foreign born regardless of
citizenship or immigration status in California because of the Immigration Reform and
Control Act and its penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers.
- Minorities are also at risk because of anti-drug policy enforcement
which is increasingly focused on those who are young, male, Black, or Hispanic.
Property seizures occurring before a defendant goes to court; development of
suspect profiles, loss of licenses; loss of jobs for State workers and sensitive areas;
and mandatory drug testing are five particular examples.
- Assistance is needed in this County for basic immigration services.
There are about 40,000 estimated undocumented immigrants in this County, 18,000 of
whom are tough to be eligible for services. There are community organizations that
can provide immigration information and referral services. They are limited in
what they can do and often make referrals to larger services in San Francisco. Legal
Assistance programs in the county need more bilingual, bicultural staff who are able to
deal with the non-English speaking residents.
- Young people are particularly in need of legal assistance due to
education problems, teen parenting, and violence.
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