Resources
You have access to vast amounts of data that you can use to better understand your clients, their legal needs, and the services you provide. The volume of available data can be overwhelming, so this section provides advice about which data are the easiest to access and the most informative.
Internal Data: Case Management System (CMS)
Your case management system contains a wealth of information, giving you a unique opportunity to deeply understand your clients and the services you provide. By leveraging the CMS data fields available, you can uncover valuable insights to improve your organization's impact.
Key Data Fields to Gather
Case Data Fields
- Unique Case Identifier
- Legal Problem Code
- Problem Code Category
- Intake Type
- Intake Date
- Date of Earliest (Open, Intake, Prescreen)
- Open Date
- Close Date
- Rejection Date
- Case Disposition
- Case Status
- Close Reason
- Rejection Reason
- Assigned Office
- Outcome(s)
- Poverty Percentage
- Adults in Household
- Children in Household
- Domestic Violence Involved
- Pro Bono Involved
Client Data Fields
- Unique Client Identifier
- Age at Intake
- Gender
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Disabilities
- Veteran Status
- Citizenship Status
- Language
- Living Arrangement
- County
- Zip Code
External Data:
Comparing internal data to external data helps to:
• Identify and understand unmet needs
• Understand external factors that influence outcomes
• Optimize and target client services and advocacy strategies
Recommended External Data Sources
Demographic Data
- U.S. Census, American Community Survey (ACS): Explore Census Data
- Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS): Microdata - Census Bureau Datasets
- Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): SAIPE Program
- HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS): CHAD Data - HUD User
- Eviction Lab: Eviction Lab
- National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC): NLIHC
- Urban Institute, Debt in America: Debt in America: An Interactive Map
- Stanford University, Educational Opportunity Project: Stanford EOP
- U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): NCES
- U.S. Department of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS): LAUS
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings: RWJF Health Rankings
- CDC Social Vulnerability Index: SVI
- Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center: Kids Count
- Data USA: Data USA
- NLADA, Legal Aid Research: NLADA LAR
- LSC, Research & Data: LSC R&D
Other Sources
Depending on your location, additional raw data can often be accessed through:
- Courts: Case data and filings
- Cities and Counties: Demographics, budgets, and community development reports
- State Departments of:
- Aging
- Children & Family Services
- Education
- Employment
- Health & Human Services
- Veterans Services
- Local Think Tanks, Foundations, or Researchers (examples below):