Public Policy Decision Making and Analysis

Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech
Criminal Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Public Policy andPublic Policy and
Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Policy AnalysisPolicy Analysis
(Decision Making Part I)(Decision Making Part I)

Policy Making TheoriesPolicy Making Theories
 PluralistPluralist
 Open processOpen process
 Power elitePower elite
 Small group of people whoSmall group of people who
are the most informedare the most informed
make best decisions.make best decisions.
 Public choicePublic choice
 Market will makeMarket will make
choices.choices.
 Competition is goodCompetition is good
 BureaucraticBureaucratic
 ExpertiseExpertise

ProblemsProblems
 PluralistPluralist
 Assumes all groupsAssumes all groups
are representedare represented
 Power elitePower elite
 Upper Class BiasUpper Class Bias
 Right and Left wingRight and Left wing
distrust of governmentdistrust of government
 Public choicePublic choice
 People always act inPeople always act in
their own self-interesttheir own self-interest
 May not protect theMay not protect the
public interestpublic interest
 Equity issuesEquity issues
 BureaucraticBureaucratic
 May be out of touchMay be out of touch
with citizens.with citizens.
 Fear of abuse.Fear of abuse.
 Street level bureaucratStreet level bureaucrat

Private GoodsPrivate Goods
 PrivatePrivate
 CanCan NOTNOT be easilybe easily
divideddivided
 ExclusiveExclusive

Public GoodsPublic Goods
 Public: value toPublic: value to
larger societylarger society
 Can not be dividedCan not be divided
 Non-exclusiveNon-exclusive

 A public or PrivateA public or Private
good?good?
Photograph provided by Woodcrest Vehicle Center

ScarcityScarcity
 Conflict betweenConflict between
unlimited humanunlimited human
wants and theirwants and their
limited resourceslimited resources
 ConsequenceConsequence -- wewe
must choose betweenmust choose between
wants and resourcewants and resource
allocationallocation

General Analysis ProcessGeneral Analysis Process
 Define/analyze the problemDefine/analyze the problem
 Determine goalsDetermine goals
 Construct alternativesConstruct alternatives
 Design evaluation criteriaDesign evaluation criteria
 Evaluate alternativesEvaluate alternatives
 Draw Conclusion and makeDraw Conclusion and make
recommendationsrecommendations

Define/analyze problemDefine/analyze problem
 What is the problem?What is the problem?
 Where is the problem?Where is the problem?
 Who or what is affected?Who or what is affected?
 How did the problem develop?How did the problem develop?
 What are the primary causes?What are the primary causes?
 How might the problem be improved byHow might the problem be improved by
policy action?policy action?

QuestionQuestion
 Would Criminological Theory choiceWould Criminological Theory choice
affect:affect:
 What is the problem?What is the problem?
 Where is the problem?Where is the problem?
 Who or what is affected?Who or what is affected?
 How did the problem develop?How did the problem develop?
 What are the primary causes?What are the primary causes?
 How might the problem be improved by policyHow might the problem be improved by policy
action?action?

Determine GoalsDetermine Goals
 What are economic,What are economic,
political, culturalpolitical, cultural
and/or social goals?and/or social goals?
 How are the goalsHow are the goals
specifically stated?specifically stated?
 Are they measurable?Are they measurable?

Construct OptionsConstruct Options
 What policy optionsWhat policy options
available?available?
 Looking for multipleLooking for multiple
solutionssolutions

QuestionQuestion
 Would CriminologicalWould Criminological
Theory choice affectTheory choice affect
options?options?

Design evaluation criteriaDesign evaluation criteria
 What criteria would best evaluate currentWhat criteria would best evaluate current
problem and policy options?problem and policy options?
 What is the cost?What is the cost?
 What is the potential effectiveness?What is the potential effectiveness?
 How feasible is the solution:How feasible is the solution:
 EconomicallyEconomically
 PoliticallyPolitically
 CulturallyCulturally
 Are theirAre their Equity IssuesEquity Issues??

Evaluate alternativesEvaluate alternatives
 Best Option?Best Option?
 Is there more research that could find aIs there more research that could find a
better policy?better policy?
 Sufficient data for analysis?Sufficient data for analysis?
 Appropriate dataAppropriate data
 Measurement techniquesMeasurement techniques
 What other data and/or information isWhat other data and/or information is
required to decide?required to decide?

Draw Conclusion and makeDraw Conclusion and make
recommendationsrecommendations
 Under currentUnder current
conditions, which isconditions, which is
the most desirablethe most desirable
policy?policy?
 Are there otherAre there other
factors?factors?

Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis
 A management and/or research technique thatA management and/or research technique that
can be used to determine the differencecan be used to determine the difference
between the current state and desired state.between the current state and desired state.
 The difference between an analysis and an evaluationThe difference between an analysis and an evaluation
is that an analysis is based on science oris that an analysis is based on science or
mathematics.mathematics.

Analysis StepsAnalysis Steps
 Collect Data Collect Data
 Collate Data Collate Data
 Develop a Response Develop a Response
 Describe What is Being Analyzed Describe What is Being Analyzed
 Analyze or Review the Data Analyze or Review the Data
 Assess the ResultsAssess the Results

Collect DataCollect Data
 List the dataList the data
 Where can the data be obtained?Where can the data be obtained?
 What time period will be collected?What time period will be collected?
 SurveysSurveys
 Focus GroupsFocus Groups
 StudiesStudies
 Available statistical informationAvailable statistical information

Collate the DataCollate the Data
 Collating is not analysis. It is putting theCollating is not analysis. It is putting the
information in some order so that you caninformation in some order so that you can
conduct an analysisconduct an analysis

AnalysisAnalysis
 Where?Where?
 When?When?
 What conditions or events precede?What conditions or events precede?
 What conditions or events accompany?What conditions or events accompany?
 What harm?What harm?
 What has been done?What has been done?
 Stakeholders and assets?Stakeholders and assets?

ResponseResponse
 BrainstormBrainstorm
 Feasibility-Feasibility-
 TimeTime
 MoneyMoney
 resourcesresources
 What preparations are need?What preparations are need?
 Who is responsible to implement?Who is responsible to implement?
 What should or should not be done?What should or should not be done?

AssessmentAssessment
 Collect the data again and see if theCollect the data again and see if the
analysis was correct.analysis was correct.
 Did you achieve the intended outcome?Did you achieve the intended outcome?
 Does the plan need to be changed?Does the plan need to be changed?
 How will you monitor the situation to beHow will you monitor the situation to be
sure the problem does not reoccur?sure the problem does not reoccur?

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Public Policy Decision Making and Analysis

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