Legal aid and support in Japan: part 2 of 2
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[Recently, the Cabinet Office Japan performed a survey looking at the topic of general legal support, and the operations of the Hou (Legal) Terrace legal assistance system in particular.
Demographics
3,000 members of the general public aged 20 or older were randomly selected from all over the country, and between the 22nd of January and 1st of February 2009 attempts were made to interview them face to face. 1,684, or 56.1%, were available and agreed to take part in the survey. 52.3% of the sample were female, 9.6% in their twenties, 14.6% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 19.3% in their fifties, 23.9% in their sixties, 13.2% in their seventies, and 3.2% aged eighty or older.
I don’t know if I really like the sound of the legal education described below, as it seems a bit of a mish-mash of contract law and civics; the Constitution is not a set of laws, and one’s responsibilities as a citizen are similarly not usually legal edicts.
Research results
The respondents were then shown a card describing Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, or in Japanese 裁判外解決手続, saibangai funsou kaiketsu tetsuzuki, and asked the following question.
Q8: Which of the following do you know about ADR? (Sample size=1,684, multiple answer)
It is something that the courts implement 34.3% It is something that the National Consumer Affairs Center, Central Labour Relations Commission, other government-related bodies implement 16.7% It is something that lawyers, judicial clerks, qualified professional bodies, NPOs, other citizen bodies implement 14.7% It is something that citizen bodies implement, with a dispute resolution service certified by the Minister of Justice 3.9% Heard the term ADR, but didn’t know what it was 5.5% Don’t know what ADR is 36.2% Other 0.4% Don’t know 16.6% Note that the question was asked in the present tense but they had just been shown a card describing ADR, so I presume they were answering in the past tense.
The respondents were then shown a card describing Legal Education, which would teach one’s responsibilities regarding contracts, how the constitution repects the individual and democracy, one’s responsibilites as a citizen, etc, and asked the following question.
Q9: Do you think Legal Education should be promoted? (Sample size=1,684)
Should be actively promoted (to SQ) 41.1% Perhaps should be promoted (to SQ) 45.5% Perhaps is not needed 5.1% Is not needed at all 1.1% Don’t know 7.2% Q9SQ: At what level in school do you think Legal Education should be taught? (Sample size=1,459)
Before primary school 4.2% Primary school 30.7% Middle school 48.0% High school 15.8% University under-graduate 0.8% University post-graduate 0.2% Other 0.0% Don’t know 0.3% The respondents were then shown a card describing Legal Terrace, a public organisation set up in October 2006 offer information on resolving legal troubles and other service including a specialised legal advice call centre, legal aid for those unable to afford the services of a lawyer in court, paid-for legal services in areas with few lawyers, etc, and asked the following question.
Q10: Did you know about Legal Terrace? (Sample size=1,684)
Yes, and have used their services (to SQ) 1.4% Knew the details, but haven’t used their services (to SQ) 8.1% Heard the name, but didn’t know the details (to SQ) 18.6% Not even heard the name 67.5% Don’t know 4.5% Q10SQ: From where did you learn about Legal Terrace? (Sample size=473, multiple answer)
Television 54.3% Newspapers 49.5% City hall, other governmental newsletters 18.0% Internet 10.8% Radio 8.9% Family, friends 7.8% Posters, pamphlets 6.8% City hall, other governmental information desk 3.8% In-train, in-bus advertising 1.1% Other 2.5% Don’t know 1.3% The respondents were then shown a card describing Legal Terrace’s legal trouble resolution “Information Provision Office” help line, offering consultation for 8.5 yen for every three minutes, 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays, offering information regarding help desks, and were then asked the following question.
Q11: What other services would it be nice for the Information Provision Office to offer? (Sample size=1,684, multiple answer)
Sunday operation 55.3% Freephone access 50.5% Late-night operation 42.9% Legal advice on concrete measures for dispute resolution 40.9% Rather than help desks, direct introductions to lawyers, other specialists 20.4% Other 1.1% Nothing in particular 5.5% Don’t know 4.4% The respondents were then shown a card describing Legal Terrace’s staff lawyers, kept on the payroll by Legal Terrace to provide consultation and representation in civil cases for those in need of legal aid but without the financial resources to pay, and also as court-appointed attorneys for accused. Additionally, in areas short of lawyers they also provide the usual lawyer services.
Q12: In addition to the present activities of staff lawyers, what other activity would you think it would be best for them to provide? (Sample size=1,684)
Provide support for not just citizens’ legal troubles but also visit local governmental bodies, medical facilities, welfare facilities etc to work on avoiding legal trouble, tackle the big picture, etc 40.1% Travel round areas with few lawyers as a mobile legal advisor, etc 26.4% Provide legal education at schools, community halls for students and residents 21.0% Other 0.5% Nothing in particular 6.1% Don’t know 5.8% Q13: What sort of staff lawyer would you want to see? (Sample size=1,684, multiple answer)
Excellent legal judgement 64.4% Richly experienced in life 54.2% Considerate 46.7% Passionate 45.4% Friendly 40.9% Cool 29.0% Gentle 24.3% Other 0.5% Nothing in particular 1.1% Don’t know 1.1%
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