Evaluation of LIFTs Information Services
The Capstone team focused on evaluating the information services provided by Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT) at tables positioned in five Family Court locations in New York City. The project was centered on helping LIFT improve this process by 1) designing and piloting an impact evaluation model using client satisfaction surveys, focus groups, and a judicial survey, and 2) developing a more meaningful data collection system so that LIFT can identify the population it serves and their needs. The team generated quantitative and qualitative data through interviews, site observations, focus groups, and surveys. In addition, the team analyzed demographic data previously compiled by LIFT through its current data collection tool. The team developed surveys for litigants and tested and implemented survey distribution collection at the information tables. It also developed a method for recruiting focus group participants at family court, wrote a focus group script, and conducted a focus group of litigants. The team created judicial surveys and coordinated the mailing of surveys to family court judges. Finally, the team redesigned the data collection tool to be used at the information tables. It utilized its findings to generate a comprehensive report that identifies methods to measure the impact that LIFT has on litigants and the judicial system and to continuously track the needs of litigants through data collection. The report includes recommendations for ongoing impact evaluations and data collection.