NCJ Number
141715
Date Published
1990
Length
239 pages
Annotation
Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to evaluate Fort Nelson Legal Information Services, a project funded by the Canada Department of Justice to serve as a model for the delivery of legal aid services using a paralegal in remote communities.
Abstract
The project served Fort Nelson, a community in British Columbia with a population of approximately 3,500 in a surrounding district with about 5,000 residents. The nearest sizable community is 230 miles away. The project operated with Federal funding from July 1986 to February 1989 and then became part of the structure of the British Columbia Legal Services Society. The evaluation used document reviews, interviews, an analysis of data from the management information system, a survey of clients, a survey of participants in public legal education workshops, and a survey of social service recipients. Findings indicated that a paralegal model of service delivery could be applicable in many other settings and circumstances. Results also indicated the need for personal and professional support for a paralegal in a remote setting and for more comprehensive apprenticeship training for most paralegals, who would probably be less qualified than the one serving Fort Nelson. Tables and footnotes