NCJ Number
35032
Date Published
1976
Length
65 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THIS PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES LEGAL RESEARCH SERVICES TO REMOTE, RURAL AREAS OF NEBRASKA ARE REVIEWED, AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE WITH RESPECT TO LEAA EXEMPLARY PROJECT CRITERIA IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE CREIGHTON LEGAL INFORMATION CENTER (CLIC) WAS ESTABLISHED TO SOLVE A COMMON PROBLEM IN STATES WITH LARGE RURAL AREAS: PROVIDING ADEQUATE LEGAL RESEARCH FACILITIES IN REMOTE LOCATIONS, SOME OF WHICH MAY BE AS MUCH AS 300 MILES FROM THE NEAREST LAW LIBRARY. LOCATED AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY IN OMAHA, THE CLIC PROVIDES RESEARCH SERVICES BY MAIL AND TELEPHONE TO JUDGES, PROSECUTORS, DEFENSE COUNSEL, AND POLICE IN ALL COUNTIES OF NEBRASKA EXCEPT THE TWO WITH MAJOR URBAN AREAS. LAW STUDENTS ARE PAID TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM THESE USERS AND PREPARE MEMORANDA SUMMARIZING THEIR FINDINGS. THESE REPORTS ARE REVIEWED BY SENIOR FACULTY MEMBERS AND RETAINED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE WHEN SIMILAR QUERIES ARE RAISED. IN ADDITION TO THESE SPECIALIZED SERVICES, THE PROJECT PUBLISHES A NEWSLETTER TO INFORM 40,000 NEBRASKA CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING PROJECT USERS. THIS REPORT IS BASED ON AN EXAMINATION OF PROJECT DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT'S EXEMPLARY CANDIDACY, A ONE-DAY SITE VISIT, AND A TELEPHONE SURVEY OF SEVERAL CLIC USERS. THE PROJECT WAS ASSESSED ON THE BASIS OF THE FOLLOWING SELECTION CRITERIA: MEASURABILITY, GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AND EFFICIENCY, REPLICABILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY. PROJECT PERFORMANCE ON EACH OF THESE CRITERIA WAS GENERALLY FOUND TO BE VERY GOOD. THE STRENGTHS OF THE PROJECT WERE: ITS SYSTEMATIC EFFORT TO TAILOR ITS ACTIVITIES TO USER NEEDS THROUGH CONTINUOUS MONITORING AND EVALUATION; THE APPROPRIATENESS OF PROJECT SERVICES TO RURAL CLIENTELE; ITS EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF UNIVERSITY RESOURCES THROUGH CENTRALIZATION; THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEBRASKA JUDGES DESKBOOK; AND THE AVAILABILITY OF COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION. PROJECT WEAKNESSES INCLUDED THE DIFFICULTY OF QUANTIFYING ACTUAL MARKET VALUE OF ITS SERVICES TO CLIENTS, AND THE LIMITATIONS OF ITS REPLICABILITY TO STATES WITH LARGE RURAL AREAS AND APPROPRIATE UNIVERSITY SPONSORS. THE APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE THE EXEMPLARY PROJECT RECOMMENDATION FORM A SAMPLE MEMORANDUM, PRINTOUT, AND NEWSLETTER, AND A MEMORANDUM FROM THE LEAA COURTS DIVISION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)