Today, 5.1 billion people lack adequate access to justice. This justice gap is a pervasive global problem, affecting most nations. For those living in a state of limbo it means a loss of livelihood, dignity, and basic rights that unravel social cohesion and hurt economic growth. Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) studies are a crucial tool in our fight to understand the justice gap. They inform political leaders, civil society organisations, and justice sector professionals on ‘what works’ to build trust and advance access to justice.
In this Q&A we sat down with Dr. Rodrigo Nunez, Justice Sector Advisor at HiiL, to discuss JNS studies, how they work, what can be learned from them, and why anyone who cares about justice should start with data to make a real difference in people’s lives.
What is a Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) study?
The JNS is primarily a research exercise focused on uncovering the legal problems and justice experiences of people. These problems can take form in various ways including through crime, interpersonal disagreements, employee-employer relations, land or family disputes, or reduced access to public services to name only a few.
JNS studies measure the incidence of these legal problems across a community or society and examine the types of actions individuals take to resolve their pressing legal needs. In this way, we learn about the impact of these problems – physical, psychological, social, monetary, etc. – and the costs associated with taking action to resolve the problem. Equally important, every JNS study is customised to each country which means we adapt certain parts of a survey with help from local experts so it blends standardisation with customisation to fit measuring needs in that local context.
The rule of law is not evenly spread between and within countries. We need data to show this gap in access to justice.
Who is involved in the coordination of each JNS study?
HiiL leads each JNS study along with a local team of stakeholders and sometimes researchers. This includes in-country data collection companies or civil society organisations that help arrange face-to-face interviews with participants. We call these pollsters ‘the artists’ and the cornerstone of research. They visit people where they live and take immense care in communicating our methodology while remaining sensitive and aware of participants’ needs. This human component helps understand people’s justice problems because it’s more than research. It’s also a barometer of people’s social and economic needs. The data we gather helps stakeholders and policymakers to make the right decisions with relevant information applicable to their country’s context.
Why are JNS studies so important to the justice sector and how can they contribute to people-centred justice?
JNS studies are important to the justice sector because they provide relevant insights and data about how to improve access to justice in society. This data goes beyond courts and lawyers because the number of cases resolved or managed by courts is not a reliable indicator of people’s justice needs. The shared goal in all this is realising affordable, easy-to-access justice that based on outcomes.
Why is that important? Well, if you don’t measure, then you cannot improve. JNS surveys are evidence-based research with reliable data that can become the basis for transformation. Policymakers, justice sector professionals, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders across a country or region can use JNS studies to improve people’s lives. The ultimate goal is to resolve people’s most pressing justice problems, give people a fair shake in life, empower them to integrate more fully into economic and social development, help them restore relationships, and contribute overall to social cohesion and economic development.
We understand that the way JNS’s are conducted can change over time. What is the new methodology and why was it important to change the approach?
Indeed, we have been innovating our methodologies. The classic JNS study can be compared to a picture – a snapshot taken at a certain moment and time – which can be repeated every 3-4 years. But we know justice needs are dynamic and may change over time. To assess this, we created (to the best of our knowledge) the very first panel on justice needs. This new approach tracks selected individuals over a period of time (usually three or four years) to understand if and how their problems get resolved. We want to know where there wasn’t a resolution, the sources of help, and to update in real-time how people journey through their problems.
By following people and how they’re addressing their justice issues, this new agile and exploratory methodology has identified shortcomings and gaps in justice systems.
Is this what you’ve been calling e-JNS studies?
Yes, and the “e” in e-JNS stands for electronic or experimental. There have been different iterations in past years. We have tried to conduct these through social media but our partners and stakeholders have also been encouraged to take risks in service of understanding people’s justice needs. One example took place in Burkina Faso during the Covid-19 pandemic. The face-to-face component of the JNS was very difficult to achieve so we used social media and targeted advertising to reach people online. A shorter questionnaire was also helpful. Altogether, we managed to conduct two e-JNS studies in quick succession and without compromising on the quality of the data.
Data is crucial to our understanding of the world, what’s working and what can be improved. But behind the numbers and charts and scientific process are humans like you and me. These are the stories or real people, real families, real relationships and friends and employers.
How can practitioners and policymakers use and apply the data collected from HiiL’s JNS studies? What can practitioners and policymakers do right now?
There are different ways to engage and apply the data. For policymakers who are responsible for processes and improving where attention and resources are directed, the data is very useful for understanding what’s happening now around the country. They can identify the most pressing issues, pinpoint exactly what people are doing to resolve (or not) those issues, prioritise actions to improve outcomes and share and use the evidence to make (new) decisions that lead to positive change.
The general public can use the data too. JNS studies contain facts, figures, statistics, trends, and recommendations that help people rethink shared experiences and deal better with their own justice problems. As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. So JNS studies become a tool for self-improvement too. We believe that if the right people have the right information then they can make the right decisions and influence change in a way that improves people’s everyday lives.
As a justice and data expert, what advice do you have for current and future justice practitioners?
Data is crucial to our understanding of the world, what’s working and what can be improved. But behind the numbers and charts and scientific process are humans like you and me. These are the stories of real people, real families, real relationships and friends and employers. The problems unveiled in each Justice Needs and Satisfaction study could affect any one of us. So, I would advise people to look beyond the numbers. Put yourself in the shoes of others – your neighbour, the market seller, the farmer, the hard-working mother, or the young woman looking for work – they each have needs to thrive and have dignity.
Justice is the greatest equaliser among us so let’s make sure we’re serving that cause and living up to that universal value. Each JNS elucidates a shared human experience and is the motivation for all of us to make the world a little bit better.
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