Research Projects

RSI believes that the provision of quality ADR services requires knowledge of the environment in which they are provided and the practices that have been most effective. To that end, RSI has contributed to this knowledge through independent research projects:

• A study examining barriers to and supports for the use of mediation to enhance access to justice for poor and low-income disputants in Illinois. For this study, mediators and legal services lawyers were surveyed regarding the status of mediation in their area and their ideas about the use of mediation to resolve disputes involving poor and low-income residents. Additionally, discussions were held with judges, lawyers, mediators, and legal services representatives in three circuits throughout Illinois to explore the possibilities for creating mediation programs for the study’s target population. The study was supported by a grant from the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation and resulted in the report, Accessing Justice through Mediation: Pathways for Poor and Low-Income Disputants.
  
• An investigation into what the evaluations of court mediation programs tell us about the effectiveness of such programs. This led to the publication of a bibliography of evaluations and to an article, "Mediation Can Bring Gains, but Under What Conditions?", published in Dispute Resolution Magazine.
  
• An evaluation of court ADR rules from around the United States and identification of superior rules to present as samples to courts. The sample rules are accompanied by discussion of what makes for a good rule and each is annotated. Supported by a JAMS Foundation grant, the sample rules can be found at CourtADR.org.
  
• A similar evaluation of court ADR forms in which superior forms were identified and annotated. Model evaluation forms were also created. Also supported by a JAMS Foundation grant, the sample and model forms can be found at CourtADR.org.