Methodology of measuring social benefits resulting from free legal counselling

In: Wiadomości statystyczne / Glówny Urza̜d Statystyczny, Polskie Towarzystwo Statystyczne: czasopismo Głównego Urze̜du Statystycznego i Polskiego Towarzystwa = ˜Theœ Polish statistician, Band 63, Heft 4, S. 15-32

Abstract

The aim of the article is to discuss the main methodological issues concerning the measurement of social benefits resulting from legal and civic counselling. A critical resumption of the existing practice of macroeconomic valuation of the counselling effects was conducted and a preliminary analysis of the demand-driven benefits for Poland was carried out in the article. Methodological considerations were illustrated by a case of domestic violence, specifying all possible paths of reactions to the problem along with financial consequences of such reactions. The first attempt was made to present the measurement of the legal counselling benefits using an algorithm, pointing to all the circumstances that should be considered when quantifying such benefits. On the basis of the existing — not free from certain shortcomings indicated in the article — estimates of benefits and costs of free legal counselling systems, it can be clearly stated that social benefits significantly outweigh the costs connected with the functioning of such systems.