Executive Summary
The 2015 Washington State Civil Legal Needs Study Update found that more than 70% of the state’s low-income households experience at least one civil legal problem each year. Civil legal problems are those that are non-criminal in nature that impact significant areas of daily life such as education, housing, employment, and healthcare.
The civil legal aid system exists to address these issues to ensure access to basic necessities, safety and stability. Though civil legal aid intends to play this critical role in the lives of low-income households, it is uncertain if communities that most need access to civil legal aid are aware of its existence or identify their barriers to safety and stability as legal issues. Further, when communities are aware of civil legal aid, their ability to connect with these services calls into question civil legal aid’s accessibility.
This report highlights the perceptions and experiences of young people of color in King County regarding their knowledge (or lack thereof) about civil legal services. Young people of color are the focus of this report specifically because they are disproportionately affected by homelessness and housing instability in King County, and more likely to experience civil legal problems. As learned through a survey and focus groups, this report highlights the major issues youth have encountered with civil legal aid and their recommendations on improving its accessibility and cultural competency.
Presentation: Summary of Report
Key Findings
The author disseminated a survey to and hosted two focus groups with young people of color in King County who had experienced homelessness or housing instability with the goal of learning about their experiences interacting with civil legal aid and attorneys, in general. Through both platforms, young people offered important insight on their feelings on civil legal aid.
Most young people do not know about civil legal services and are unaware that attorneys can help them with everyday situations to remove barriers to housing stability.
When young people do interact with attorneys, the communication between them and the attorneys serving them is frustrating and problematic.
The strained interaction between young people of color and the legal support system is heightened due to young people’s perception of attorneys’ internal biases and the existence of systemic racism.
Recommendations
The young people who participated in the survey and focus groups proposed changes that they believe would improve the perception of civil legal aid, including expanding outreach, advancing cultural competency, and creating a more accessible system.
Make civil legal aid more visible and accessible to young people by increasing community engagement and partnerships.
Strengthen community knowledge around civil legal issues and resources.
Increase intentional learning for white attorneys.
Fund more civil legal aid attorneys of color to work with young people.