ACCESS TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN COLORADO BY MINORITIES AND WOMEN

• NCJ Number: 49361
• Author(s): G BUCKLEY; W MULDROW; R MARRUJO; W LEVIS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 117 pages
• Corporate Author: US Cmssn on Civil Rights
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE COLORADO ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS FINDS SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTIES WHICH HINDER MINORITIES AND WOMEN WHO WISH TO BECOME LICENSED ATTORNEYS AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS.

Abstract

THE COMMITTEE FINDS DIFFICULTIES FACED BY MINORITIES TO BE DIFFERENT FROM DIFFICULTIES FACED BY WOMEN BUT BOTH SUFFER DISCRIMINATION AT EVERY STEP OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. MINORITY STUDENTS ARE OFTEN IN A HOSTILE SITUATION OR ONE WHICH ENCOURAGES VOCATIONAL RATHER THAN ACADEMIC TRAINING. THIS MEANS A SMALLER GROUP QUALIFIED TO GO ON TO COLLEGE. AT THE UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL THERE IS A LACK OF SCHOLARSHIP AID WHICH IS A MAJOR HANDICAP. FOR WOMEN, THE PROBLEM IS ONE OF SOCIALIZATION. WHILE GIRLS OFTEN EXCEL ACADEMICALLY, THEY ARE EITHER SUBTLY OR OVERTLY ENCOURAGED TO ENTER 'FEMININE' PROFESSIONS. IN LAW SCHOOLS THERE IS A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN AND MINORITIES ON THE PART OF MANY FACULTY MEMBERS. THE STUDY FINDS FEW MINORITY AND FEMALE FACULTY MEMBERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AND UNIVERSIY OF DENVER LAW SCHOOLS. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE ACTIVE RECRUITMENT OF MINORITIES AND WOMEN FOR FACULTY POSTS, INCREASED FINANCIAL AID, A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE TO HANDLE COMPLAINTS OF DISCRIMINATION, INCREASED ATTENTION TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND PROBLEMS DIRECTLY AFFECTING MINORITY GROUPS IN THE LAW SCHOOL CURRICULUM, BROADER CRITERIA FOR ADMITTING ASIAN AMERICANS UNDER DISADVANTAGED STUDENT PROVISIONS, AND GREATER PRECAUTIONS TO ASSURE THE ANONYMITY OF STUDENTS IN EXAMINATIONS. IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE BAR EXAMINATION BE ELIMINATED FOR GRADUATES OF AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION-APPROVED LAW SCHOOLS. IN THE MEANTIME, GREATER EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO STANDARDIZE THE GRADING OF THESE EXAMINATIONS, WHICH HAS VARIED FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTS ADMINISTERED BY THE EDUCATION TESTING SERVICES IS GREAT. THESE SHOULD BE EXAMINED FOR CULTURAL BIAS. A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF COLORADO BAR EXAMINATION CANDIDATES IS GIVEN ALONG WITH AN ANALYSIS OF SCORES OF VARIOUS GROUPS ON VARIOUS PHASES OF THE EXAM. THE REPORT IS HEAVILY FOOTNOTED. (GLR)