Dublin Core
Title
Box 15, Folder 11, Document 58
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
/ ae" yah Ni ity a9 WASHINGTON, B.c. 20506
Ce POR TUNITY “
Telephone; 296-2980
. FOR RELEASE: AMs
MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1968
PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP OF LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM
Reconmendations on
Legal Services and the "Long Hot Summer"
The Advisory Group, having the benefit of the advice of Legal Services
Projects that played a positive role in cities that experienced civil
disturbances in the summers of 1966 and 1967, and believing that most
civil disorders in recent years have arisen in communities where serious
legitimate grievances of alienated people have not been met; believing
further that massive disorder has often resulted in such communities
from seemingly minor incidents because responsible public officials
failed quickly to redress the grievance complained of, and being
deeply concerned because our system of laws has largely failed to
correct the just grievances of those who experience poverty and
discrimination, makes the following recommendations:
1. National Policy Statement - the Advisory Group strongly urges
that the President of the United States, the Attorney General
of the United States, and the Director of the Office of
Economic Opportunity issue a national policy statement that
federally funded OEO Legal Services projects are a primary
organ for assisting indigent people to express their griev-
ances and to obtain redress through existing legitimate
avenues; and seek to create new ways of protecting their
rights and effectively redressing their wrongs.
Legal Services projects should be involved in all national
and local planning procedures concerned with the avoidance
of civil disturbances and with minimizing the scope and
duration of such disturbances should they occur. This policy
statement should be sent to the Governors of the respective
states, the mayors of the cities, local police officials,
appropriate members of the Judiciary, and all others con-
cerned with this problem,
(More)
*
2.
a 3-5
National Task Force - The Legal Services Program of the OEO
should promptly establish a National Task Force composed of
Legal Service attorneys who have had experience in the in-
digent community during the course of civil disturbance, to
consult, across the country, with Legal Services project
directors in urban communities and with elected officials,
law enforcement administrators, members of the judiciary,
and leaders of local bar associations concerning the most
effective ways to prevent civil disturbances and to minimize
the effects should civil disturbances occur.
Legal Services Staff - In order for a Legal Services Program
to effectively articulate the grievances of the indigent pop-
ulation it must have on its staff at least one person who has
the respect and confidence of people representing the most
disadvantaged areas of the community. The OEO should make
maximum effort to assure that at least one such person can
be employed as a part of every urban Legal Services Program.
Responsible Staff Member - That Legal Services project
directors should promptly designate one member of their staff
to be responsible for developing plans and implementing a pro-
gram for the prevention of civil disturbance and further to
insure the maintenance of basic legal rights in the event that
civil disturbances should occur.
Preventing Civil Disturbances - That as a part of any program
for preventing civil disturbances, Legal Services projects
should:
(a) vigorously articulate the grievances of the members
of the community and seek redress through existing
legitimate channels; and seek to create new ways of
protecting the rights and effectively redressing their
wrongs;
(b) endeavor to make law enforcement officials aware of
the kinds of police conduct which can provoke the in-
digents out of which civil disturbances can arise;
(c) establish channels of communication with law enforce-
ment and other public officials and develop methods
through which grievances arising out of provocative
incidents can be resolved,
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
/ ae" yah Ni ity a9 WASHINGTON, B.c. 20506
Ce POR TUNITY “
Telephone; 296-2980
. FOR RELEASE: AMs
MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1968
PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP OF LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM
Reconmendations on
Legal Services and the "Long Hot Summer"
The Advisory Group, having the benefit of the advice of Legal Services
Projects that played a positive role in cities that experienced civil
disturbances in the summers of 1966 and 1967, and believing that most
civil disorders in recent years have arisen in communities where serious
legitimate grievances of alienated people have not been met; believing
further that massive disorder has often resulted in such communities
from seemingly minor incidents because responsible public officials
failed quickly to redress the grievance complained of, and being
deeply concerned because our system of laws has largely failed to
correct the just grievances of those who experience poverty and
discrimination, makes the following recommendations:
1. National Policy Statement - the Advisory Group strongly urges
that the President of the United States, the Attorney General
of the United States, and the Director of the Office of
Economic Opportunity issue a national policy statement that
federally funded OEO Legal Services projects are a primary
organ for assisting indigent people to express their griev-
ances and to obtain redress through existing legitimate
avenues; and seek to create new ways of protecting their
rights and effectively redressing their wrongs.
Legal Services projects should be involved in all national
and local planning procedures concerned with the avoidance
of civil disturbances and with minimizing the scope and
duration of such disturbances should they occur. This policy
statement should be sent to the Governors of the respective
states, the mayors of the cities, local police officials,
appropriate members of the Judiciary, and all others con-
cerned with this problem,
(More)
*
2.
a 3-5
National Task Force - The Legal Services Program of the OEO
should promptly establish a National Task Force composed of
Legal Service attorneys who have had experience in the in-
digent community during the course of civil disturbance, to
consult, across the country, with Legal Services project
directors in urban communities and with elected officials,
law enforcement administrators, members of the judiciary,
and leaders of local bar associations concerning the most
effective ways to prevent civil disturbances and to minimize
the effects should civil disturbances occur.
Legal Services Staff - In order for a Legal Services Program
to effectively articulate the grievances of the indigent pop-
ulation it must have on its staff at least one person who has
the respect and confidence of people representing the most
disadvantaged areas of the community. The OEO should make
maximum effort to assure that at least one such person can
be employed as a part of every urban Legal Services Program.
Responsible Staff Member - That Legal Services project
directors should promptly designate one member of their staff
to be responsible for developing plans and implementing a pro-
gram for the prevention of civil disturbance and further to
insure the maintenance of basic legal rights in the event that
civil disturbances should occur.
Preventing Civil Disturbances - That as a part of any program
for preventing civil disturbances, Legal Services projects
should:
(a) vigorously articulate the grievances of the members
of the community and seek redress through existing
legitimate channels; and seek to create new ways of
protecting the rights and effectively redressing their
wrongs;
(b) endeavor to make law enforcement officials aware of
the kinds of police conduct which can provoke the in-
digents out of which civil disturbances can arise;
(c) establish channels of communication with law enforce-
ment and other public officials and develop methods
through which grievances arising out of provocative
incidents can be resolved,
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