Each year, four out of five low-income Americans needing legal help are unable to obtain it, leaving at least 16 million legal problems unaddressed, according to LSC's recently released report, "Documenting the Justice Gap in America."  Based on a survey of LSC grantees between March and May 2005, the study draws attention to the vast gulf between the legal needs of low-income Americans and the availability of free civil legal services. 

Despite a general increase in support for legal services from state bars and courts, the study shows that more people eligible for free legal services go without help today than two decades ago.  In real dollars, Congressional funding for LSC has declined overall over the past twenty years.  The study reveals that a severe shortage of legal services attorneys (in predominantly LSC funded offices) is one of the root causes of the "urgent" justice gap.  While there is one attorney per 525 people in the general population, there is only one legal aid attorney for every 6,861 low-income people. 

Also, the study finds that many eligible clients do not know that free legal services are available, and others do not seek representation from LSC grantees because of geographical isolation, low literacy, disability, limited language skills, and other reasons.

To close and ultimately to eliminate the justice gap, the report recommends that "the federal baseline share [of legal services funding] must be at least five times greater than it is now."  That would increase LSC's appropriation to $1.6 billion from this year's Senate-approved appropriation of $358.5 million.