Evaluation and quality assurance of legal services

The issue of evaluating and assuring quality in legal services delivery systems is addressed by considering findings and concepts from research on health-care systems and from the social and behavioral sciences. A framework for conceptualizing the components of quality assurance and for classifying research on quality is offered. The concepts of outcome, process, and structure are the major elements of the framework. Also discussed is the linking of the various components to provide the knowledge necessary to create effective quality-assurance systems.