LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE POOR IN CHILE

THIS EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 5/77 TO 8/78 AND IS BASED ON REVIEW OF NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION FIGURES AND PROJECT MATERIALS, OBSERVATION REPORTS, AND SEMINAR PARTICIPATION. THIS PROJECT, NOW SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE, WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND ALL OUTPUT TARGETS WERE MET. LEGAL RIGHTS AND ASSISTANCE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE POOR WAS PUBLISHED IN SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SUPPLEMENTS MOST COMMONLY READ BY THE POOR. THE OUTREACH FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS (OVER 400,000 COPIES FOR THREE SUNDAYS EACH). A SEMINAR, SPONSORED BY UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA"S LEGAL ASSISTANCE DEPARTMENT AND CONDUCTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHILE AT VALPARAISO 8/19-20/78, FOCUSED ON COMMON LEGAL PROBLEMS AFFLICTING THE POOR AND THE DELIVERY OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO THEM. US CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAW PROGRAMS WERE OBSERVED BY TWO VISITING CHILEAN LAWYER/PROFESSORS. THE COOPERATION OF US LEGAL INSTITUTIONS WAS GREATER THAN ANTICIPATED. BY ATTENDING THE SEMINAR, OBSERVING US LEGAL PRACTICES, AND READING PROJECT NEWSPAPER AND SEMINAR MATERIALS, CHILEAN BAR MEMBERS GAINED AN AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE POOR AND INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO TRAIN LAWYERS TO PROVIDE LEGAL ASSISTANCE. THE END OF PROJECT STATUS INDICATORS WERE MET EXCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A LEGAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING TEXTBOOK. THE MATERIALS PRODUCED DURING THE PROJECT, HOWEVER, FORM A COLLECTION SUITABLE FOR CLASSROOM USE. THE PROJECT"S SUCCESS HAS SPARKED AN INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING A LEGAL ASSISTANCE CORPORATION INDEPENDENT OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND IN REJUVENATING A CORPORATION PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE FORD FOUNDATION. THE PROJECT DEMONSTRATED THE NEED FOR PATIENCE FOR SUCCESSFUL PROJECT COMPLETION; THE BENEFITS OF US ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY FROM LAW SCHOOLS, IN LEGAL PROJECTS; AND THE WAY A GOOD IDEA CAN SPREAD.