Justice, law and society, and especially empirical social science research on law and legal processes, are growing fields. Unlike traditional law schools, which focus on legal doctrine, law and society examines the effects of legal rules on societal institutions and relationships and studies the influence of social norms and practices on the development and understanding of law.
The Law and Society Association was founded more than 30 years ago and now serves as the organizing disciplinary society for scholars and practitioners interested in the relationship between legal doctrine and social practices. More recently, the Consortium for Undergraduate Law and Justice Programs has taken shape, bringing together scholars and teachers in the social sciences who study law.
Simultaneously, legal practitioners and policymakers have come to recognize that empirical social science research can improve the provision and operation of legal services and processes. Gone are the days in which anecdotal evidence or partial research might provide the basis for changes in court administration, court security, or judicial practices. Today, administrative offices of the courts, development agencies, and nongovernmental organizations, among others, are seeking empirical, social science research to aid them in setting managerial priorities and undertaking reform.