One Person's Experience with Confronting the Digital Divide

Many sources have addressed the digital divide in terms of race, income, age, education, and the like. Until recently, I had no doubts concerning where I fell along this divide. As a person who did not even use e-mail regularly until just over a year ago, I was clearly among the "have-nots."


When I took an introductory computer course at a local community college, I called my fifteen year-old granddaughter (at the time), and tried to impress her by proudly sharing my (rudimentary) knowledge of PowerPoint. She dismissively replied that PowerPoint was mandatory for all of her presentations in her junior high classes. (This should not have been a surprise--when she started kindergarten years ago, I was shocked to learn that her required school supply-list included a computer disc).


At work, I have also felt the impact of the digital divide. For years, I sought to avoid computer-related technology in my office because I knew that my assistant and staff were able to account for, and overcome, my shortcomings (and to some degree, they still do!). Since I seldom used my computer in the first place, I never complained when it was the last in the office to be updated. I was able to get by with this elusive approach most of the time, but when it failed, it failed miserably. I cannot begin to estimate the number of hours I wasted researching and re-formatting projects because of my ignorance in computers and information technology.

In addition to the traditional categories mentioned in the opening sentence, I have observed another example of digital divide, and that is between criminal prosecutors and public defense attorneys. Prosecuting attorneys represent governmental entities, whether they be at the federal, state, county, or municipal level. Their computers are provided through public funding, and they invariably have access to well-entrenched IT support and resources.

In Washington State, the vast majority of counties contract with private individuals or firms to provide indigent defense. Rarely do these defender agencies possess technology resources even remotely resembling those enjoyed by the government. Younger attorneys may not be as vulnerable to this digital gap, but for older lawyers who lack IT skills, they remain complacent with the status quo at their peril. Unfortunately, their failure to confront the challenges of new technology also places their clients at risk.

The solution is obvious. In order for defense attorneys (and most other groups experiencing the digital divide, for that matter) to catch up, they must recognize that digital technology is not merely a fad or a desirable option; it is a necessity to function in the world of today and tomorrow. Once they accept this fact, they must take affirmative steps to begin closing the gap. This includes taking classes, even if it means attending continuing education classes through a local community college. It means not avoiding technology-laden upper-level classes, and not forgoing other computer-related opportunities, such as CLE's (continuing legal education). It also means being willing to ask for assistance, especially from those several years their junior. Finally, it means recognizing that the battle is not lost, and that they are not so far behind that they can never catch up.

My purpose in writing this is to convey to others who may feel they have been left behind in the digital age that there is hope. Today, I continue to improve my skills by increasingly taking advantage of technology. While I am a long way from where I want to be, I am a lot farther along than I used to be.