WHY IT MATTERS IN ARKANSAS
ARKANSAS DEMOGRAPHICS
Poverty is the dominant factor affecting access to the justice system. Over 550,000 Arkansans live at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. That means that one-in-five Arkansans are eligible for free legal aid. But legal aid providers, who have limited resources, are overwhelmed by the magnitude of low-income Arkansans with legal needs. And the legal problems of the working poor often have a snowball effect, where one legal problem leads to more. Without adequate legal assistance, the working poor exist in a world with no hope. No access to justice means many people lose faith in the system and resort to other means to solve their problems. For more specific statistics, click here.
THE IMPACT IN ARKANSAS
After confronting the statistics above, the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission quickly realized that the justice community and state leaders should be informed about the crisis in the state’s civil legal system. This educational process needed to be tied to the highest ideals of the Constitution and the legal profession, and to the common decency of the Arkansas spirit. It also needed to provide immediate support to the members of the justice community, who could then progress on their own in expanding access to civil justice. Once these goals were met, the Commission needed to provide legal information to the full community of citizens. Policy makers needed to be informed about the ongoing crisis, and about the limited financial resources devoted to civil legal aid. Combining these efforts would fulfill the Promise of Justice that our Constitution requires. For more information, click here.
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