Access to legal information is both a legal right and crucial need for people who are incarcerated, yet little comprehensive data exists regarding how that information is provided or about the quality or accessibility of services available to individuals in prison. While anecdotal evidence suggests that law librarians are playing a key role in bridging this service gap, there is a lack of information about best practices and models, as well as about the state of the profession’s capacity to meet the incarcerated population’s need for access to legal information. How and where are people who are incarcerated able to access legal information? And how can we develop more robust and nimble service offerings to meet their needs?

In a new project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), we will examine the national landscape of access to legal information for people who are incarcerated and the current state of the field of law librarianship in facilitating access to the law for the justice-impacted population. This project will build on exploratory research to document the different types of libraries involved in providing services to incarcerated patrons and the challenges and opportunities they face.

We will explore the following research questions:

  • What legal services and information can individuals who are incarcerated currently access?
  • What are the benefits and costs of increasing access to the law for persons who are incarcerated and their communities?
  • What role do institutions play when providing or allowing access to the law for individuals who are incarcerated? How do policies and practices in place disrupt or promote access?
  • How can we design services and model solutions that incorporate best practices and overcome barriers that limit access to and use of legal resources and information?

Next steps

In the first phase of the two-year project, the team will conduct a policy scan of correctional directives across the country that establish how access to legal information is provided. The project will also use semi-structured interviews to engage directly with a variety of stakeholders—including people who are currently or formerly incarcerated, representatives from legal aid groups, and members of departments of corrections—to determine how access to the law may vary between policy and practice.

The final stage of the project will include a national survey of law librarians to benchmark the capacity of the field to provide services to justice impacted individuals, and assess professional development and training needs. Findings and takeaways from the project will be released in a publicly available report on the Ithaka S+R website.

If you’re interested in learning more or engaging with the project, please reach out to Tammy Ortiz (Tammy.Ortiz@ithaka.org).

 

The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.