Client Use of Technology – Client Use of Technology – 2008 Updates2008 Updates

Gene DonneyProject CoordinatorLegal Services National Technology Assistance

Project

November 21, 2008

Session ObjectivesIdentify those who are “digitally

engaged”Identify current trends in digital

lifestyle adaptation among client populations

Evaluate areas of programmatic improvement to meet digital demand

Empower you to enhance service delivery through understanding of meaningful digital application

Specific data to be Specific data to be reviewed reviewed Latest

Demographic Trends◦ Income◦ Race◦ Education◦ Age ◦ Geography◦ Broadband◦ Online Activities ◦ Mobile Users

Implications for Legal Aid ◦ LiveHelp◦ Statewide

Websites◦ A2J◦ Texting

Is there a Digital Divide in Is there a Digital Divide in 2008? 2008? Digital divide discussion

increasingly focus on international issues

Broadband is current policy focusAlthough much progress has been

made in creating an accessible network, the work of removing more complex barriers remains: ◦Literacy◦Computer and internet literacy◦Lack of interest in using ICT

Jeopardy!

How well do we understand trends in client use of

technology?

Caveat“There are three types of lies:

Lies, damn lies, and statistics,”

~ Benjamin Disraeli

Problems with Available Problems with Available StatisticsStatisticsImprecision; inconsistent terminology

African American, Blacks, Black Americans Hispanic, Latino Little data available on Native Americans and Asian

Pacific Islanders Generalize about ‘Americans’ rather than

inhabitants

Difficult to ascertain who would be low-income according to LSC standards

$30,000 or below numbers can reflect students with future earning potential well-above poverty line

It does not take family size into account

Frame of referenceFrame of reference2007 Client Stats2007 Client Stats

Source: LSC 2007 Factbookhttp://www.lsc.gov/pdfs/factbook2007.pdf

IncomeIncome

Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project (http://www.pewinternet.org/trends.asp)

Income and Time Spent Income and Time Spent OnlineOnline

Source: Internet adoption and usage patterns are different: Implications for the digital divide, Information Economics and Policy, March 2008

RaceRace

Source: Pew, “Demographics of Internet Users,” July 2008

EducationEducation

Education and Race Education and Race The percentage of those who have

not completed high school and are online: ◦White 32%◦Hispanic 31%◦African American 25%

However, there is higher percentage of Latino adults who have not finished high school compared to non-Hispanic whites and African Americans

Source: Pew, “Latinos Online,” March 2007, (http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/Latinos_Online_March_14_2007.pdf)

Internet Use by Age Internet Use by Age

Population Age Projections Population Age Projections

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Projected Population of the United States, by Age and Sex: 2000 to 2050 http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/usinterimproj/natprojtab02a.pdf

Wired Seniors Wired Seniors Although they are the fastest

growing group, most growth comes from those just entering their senior years, rather than new adoption by current seniors

In 2006, 34% of 65+ went online, but only 28% of 70+, which has remained a relatively static number

Source: Pew, Are “Wired Seniors” Sitting Ducks?, 2006 http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Wired_Senior_2006_Memo.pdf

Analysis by Geography Analysis by Geography

Why does rural adoption Why does rural adoption lag? lag? Population tends to be olderHigher share of low-income families Rural Americans are, on average,

less educated than urban and suburban Americans

Does anyone think cultural attitudes play a role in rural adoption lag?

Source, Pew, “Rural Broadband Internet Use,” February 2006 (http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Rural_Broadband.pdf)

All Whites (76%)

All Blacks (56%)

English-Speaking Hispanics

(79%)

18-29 Years Old (92%)

30-49 Years Old (85%)

50-64 Years Old (72%)

65+ Years Old (37%)

No High School Degree (38%)

College Graduates (93%)

<$30K Income (61%)

>$75K Income (93%)

Men (76%)Women

(74%)

*Source: Pew Internet & American Life Survey, December 2007. http://www.pewinternet.org

** This statistic comes from the Pew Internet Project’s Latinos Online data, collected June-October, 2006.

High School Graduates (67%)

Urban (77%)

Rural (64%)

Suburban (77%)

Spanish-Dominant Hispanics (32%)**

Who is online?Who is online?

Broadband AdoptionBroadband Adoption

Source: Pew, “Home Broadband Adoption 2008,” July 2008 http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf

Why is Broadband Why is Broadband Important? Important? Necessary to access many online

tools and servicesBroadband includes many options,

including ◦DSL◦Cable Modem◦Fiber◦Wireless◦Satellite◦Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)

Broadband as Predictor of Broadband as Predictor of Online ActivityOnline Activity78% of home broadband users

look online for health information, compared with 70% of home dial-up users.

Home broadband users are twice as likely as home dial-up users to do health research on a typical day -- 12% vs. 6%.

Pew, The Engaged E-patient Population, August 2008, http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/259/report_display.asp

Broadband AdoptionBroadband AdoptionGrowth in broadband adoption

was flat among the poor◦25% of low-income Americans –

those whose household incomes are $20,000 annually or less – reported having broadband at home in April 2008. This compares to the 28% figure reported in March 2007 among those living in households whose annual incomes are $20,000 or less.Source: Pew, “Home Broadband Adoption 2008,” July 2008

http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf

Broadband AdoptionBroadband AdoptionRural broadband grew but still

lags behind urban and suburban ◦38% of those living in rural American

now have broadband at home, compared with 31% who said this in 2007, or a growth rate of 23% from 2007 to 2008. By comparison, 57% of urban residents have high-speed connections at home now and 60% of suburban residents have such connections.Source: Pew, “Home Broadband Adoption 2008,” July 2008

http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf

Broadband Availability Broadband Availability

Source: NTIA, Networked Nation: Broadband In America 2007, http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2008/NetworkedNationBroadbandinAmerica2007.pdf

Whites (55%)

Blacks (38%)

English-Speaking Hispanics (57%)

18-29 Years Old (74%)

30-49 Years Old (62%)

50-64 Years Old (49%)

65+ Years Old (20%)

No High School Degree (22%)

College Graduates (74%)

<$30K Income (40%)

>$75K Income (77%)

Men (58%)

Women (50%)

High School Graduates (43%)

Urban (60%)

Suburban (56%)

Rural (42%)

*Source: Pew Internet & American Life Survey, December 2007.

http://www.pewinternet.org

Who has broadband?Who has broadband?

Online activities Online activities Conducting searchesMultimedia Using the internet to find

services

Do you use a search engine Do you use a search engine on a typical day? on a typical day?

Pew, Search Engine Use, August 2008 http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Search_Aug08.pdf

Multimedia Multimedia

Do you use the internet to Do you use the internet to address common problems address common problems that might be linked to that might be linked to government? government?

Information searches that solve problems: How people use the internet, libraries, and government agencies when they need help. Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2007. http://pewinternet.org/pdfs/Pew_UI_LibrariesReport.pdf

Are people using the net to Are people using the net to address legal matters? address legal matters?

Information searches that solve problems: How people use the internet, libraries, and government agencies when they need help. Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2007. http://pewinternet.org/pdfs/Pew_UI_LibrariesReport.pdf

The changing paradigm!

How many of you have ever considered and / or heard of another advocate sending client notifications and reminders via text message?

Mobile Access Mobile Access

62% of all Americans are part of a wireless, mobile population that participates in digital activities away from home or work

84% of English-speaking Hispanics have cell phones.

74% of white Americans have cell phones.

71% of black Americans have cell phones.

Source: Pew, Mobile Access to Data and Information, March 2008 http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Mobile.Data.Access.pdf

Whites (74%) Blacks (71%)

English-Speaking Hispanics (84%)

18-29 Years Old (88%)

30-49 Years Old (83%)

50-64 Years Old (70%)

65+ Years Old (50%)

No High School Degree (63%)

College Graduates (86%)

<$30K Income (61%)

>$75K Income (92%)

Men (77%)

Women (73%)High School Graduates

(67%)

Urban (79%)

Suburban (77%)

Rural (62%)

*Source: Pew Internet & American Life Survey, December 2007.

http://www.pewinternet.org

Who has a cell?Who has a cell?

The DebateThe Debate◦“Our clients don’t use the Internet.”◦“Our clients shouldn’t use the

Internet for their legal problems.”◦“Computers and the Internet are

luxury items. We need to focus on serving clients who come through our doors.”

What’s going on in the field?

Examples of service delivery enhancements through the effective use of technology.

Online Delivery Models in Online Delivery Models in Poverty Law Poverty Law LiveHelpA2JProgram and Statewide WebsitesCell PhoneEducational/Informational Videos

◦YouTube

LiveHelp Usage TrendsLiveHelp Usage Trends

Timeline:LiveHelp was soft-launched on MontanaLawHelp and IowaLegalAid.org in June 2006, on LawHelp.org/LA in September 2007, on GeorgiaAdvocates.org and ARLegalServices.org in January 2008, and on LawHelpMN.org in May 2008. Information provided by Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net.

LiveHelp Usage TrendsLiveHelp Usage TrendsSelf-reported household income of Montana LiveHelp users (2006-2008) Under 10K: 24% 10K-15K: 26%

Areas Montana LiveHelp Areas Montana LiveHelp Users Sought Help in (2006-Users Sought Help in (2006-2008) 2008)

A2J Author and NPADO A2J Author and NPADO ServerServerBeing adopted by both legal aid

programs and court systems Has grown immensely in the past

year ◦Illinois Legal Aid Online◦NYC Civil Court◦Idaho Legal Aid Services◦NYC Housing Court

Program and Statewide Program and Statewide WebsitesWebsitesLawHelp consumer site usage in

2007:◦ 2.7 million visitors◦12.6 million page views◦2.2 million resource downloads◦628,000 referral profiles viewed

Websites can be a tool in helping to bridge the broadband divide◦Colorado Legal Services lists information

about where to find library and Wi-Fi hotspots all across the state.

Cell PhoneCell PhoneWebsite browsing still not that

viable on mobile technologies Texting holds great promise for

distributing basic legal education information that can tie into your intake system◦Tenants Rights◦Domestic Violence ◦Immigrant Rights

Educational/Information Educational/Information VideosVideosMore and more common in legal aid

◦Legal Services Alabama◦Arkansas Legal Services◦Asian Pacific American Legal Center◦Atlanta Legal Aid◦LawHelp California◦Iowa Legal Aid ◦Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New

York◦New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty

Where do we go from Where do we go from here? here? What will happen with access to

broadband? How will online behaviors trend?How can mobile technologies be

incorporated into delivery of services?

Questions or Comments?Questions or Comments?