Public Policy and Practice: Decision Making (Part Two)

Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech
Criminal Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Public PolicyPublic Policy and Practiceand Practice
in Criminal Justicein Criminal Justice
Decision MakingDecision Making
Part IIPart II

Public PolicyPublic Policy
 Clarke E. Cochran, et al.: "the actions of government and
the intentions that determine those actions."
 Clarke E. Cochran, et al.: "the outcome of the struggle in
government over who gets what."
 Thomas Dye: "Whatever governments choose to do or
not do."
 Charles L. Cochran and Eloise F. Malone: "political
decisions for implementing programs to achieve societal
goals."
 B. Guy Peters: "sum of government activities, whether
acting directly or through agents, as it has an influence
on the life of citizens."

Public PolicyPublic Policy
 Because of limitedBecause of limited
(scarce) resources(scarce) resources
choiceschoices about the
objectives must be
made:
 Which?
 How?
 Importance?

What is Policy Analysis?What is Policy Analysis?
 Refers to a variety of analysis techniquesRefers to a variety of analysis techniques
used to develop, analyze and evaluateused to develop, analyze and evaluate
policypolicy
 The choice of tool may be dependent on theThe choice of tool may be dependent on the
questionquestion

ToolsTools
 Seven Criteria of Good PolicySeven Criteria of Good Policy
 The 6 C’s of Policy OptionsThe 6 C’s of Policy Options
 The 3 E’s of Policy OptionsThe 3 E’s of Policy Options
 Cost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Benefit Analysis
 Cost-Effectiveness AnalysisCost-Effectiveness Analysis
 ModelingModeling
 Decomposition AnalysisDecomposition Analysis
 Ideological AnalysisIdeological Analysis
 Point of View AnalysisPoint of View Analysis

Seven Criteria of Good PolicySeven Criteria of Good Policy
 EffectivenessEffectiveness
 ExternalitiesExternalities
 EfficiencyEfficiency
 TheoryTheory
 ComplianceCompliance
 EquityEquity
 Measurable EffectMeasurable Effect

EffectivenessEffectiveness
 What is the bottom line?What is the bottom line?
 What was is it that the policy intended toWhat was is it that the policy intended to
do? The bottom line.do? The bottom line.
 Perhaps for a private firm, profitPerhaps for a private firm, profit
 Is the Policy Working?Is the Policy Working?
 Are goals met as opposed to activity takesAre goals met as opposed to activity takes
place.place.

Traffic CitationsTraffic Citations
 The goal is trafficThe goal is traffic
safety!safety!
 A motor officer canA motor officer can
efficiently issueefficiently issue
citations, but does hiscitations, but does his
activities add to theactivities add to the
bottom line of trafficbottom line of traffic
safety.safety.

ExternalitiesExternalities
 Side effectsSide effects
 Many actions haveMany actions have
intended andintended and
unintended positiveunintended positive
and negative sideand negative side
effectseffects

EfficiencyEfficiency
 If effectiveness is concentrating on theIf effectiveness is concentrating on the
outputs or goals, essentially doing theoutputs or goals, essentially doing the
right things.right things.
 Efficiency is doing things right. Using theEfficiency is doing things right. Using the
least amount of inputs (resources) toleast amount of inputs (resources) to
produce the output.produce the output.

TheoryTheory
 The underlying assumptions and theoriesThe underlying assumptions and theories
supporting the theorysupporting the theory
 Recall, nearly all justice policy is foundedRecall, nearly all justice policy is founded
in criminological theoryin criminological theory

ComplianceCompliance
 Does the policyDoes the policy
comply with thecomply with the
fundamentals of ourfundamentals of our
system of laws?system of laws?
 Is it Constitutional?Is it Constitutional?
 Is it consistent withIs it consistent with
the American systemthe American system
of justice?of justice?

EquityEquity
 Are outputsAre outputs
andand
burdensburdens
equitablyequitably
distributed?distributed?
3 or ½3 or ½
ExerciseExercise

Intervention EffectIntervention Effect
 Can the effect beCan the effect be
measured?measured?

The 6 C’s of Policy OptionsThe 6 C’s of Policy Options
 ConcentrationConcentration
 ClarityClarity
 ChangeabilityChangeability
 ChallengeChallenge
 CoordinationCoordination
 ConsistencyConsistency

ConcentrationConcentration
 Concentration of resources on meaningfulConcentration of resources on meaningful
aspect of the problem.aspect of the problem.
 Do the resources exist to implement theDo the resources exist to implement the
policy – personnel, time, equipment,policy – personnel, time, equipment,
money, etc.money, etc.

ClarityClarity
 Are the goals and action steps clearlyAre the goals and action steps clearly
outlined?outlined?
 Are all the stakeholders identified?Are all the stakeholders identified?
 Do the stakeholders implementing theDo the stakeholders implementing the
policy understand their roles?policy understand their roles?
 Do stakeholders affected by the policyDo stakeholders affected by the policy
understand it?understand it?

StakeholdersStakeholders
 Any organization,Any organization,
governmental entity, orgovernmental entity, or
individual that has a stakeindividual that has a stake
in or may be impacted byin or may be impacted by
a policy.a policy.
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

Determining StakeholdersDetermining Stakeholders
 Stakeholders can be determining byStakeholders can be determining by
analyzing their role in relationship to theanalyzing their role in relationship to the
problem or policy:problem or policy:
 RightsRights
 ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities
 Revenues and RewardsRevenues and Rewards
 RelationshipsRelationships

ChangeabilityChangeability
 How flexible is the policy to change ifHow flexible is the policy to change if
conditions change?conditions change?
 Are the Stakeholders (individuals andAre the Stakeholders (individuals and
organizations) responsible fororganizations) responsible for
implementing the policy able to adapt toimplementing the policy able to adapt to
the change in policy?the change in policy?
 Are the Stakeholders (individuals andAre the Stakeholders (individuals and
organizations) affected by policy able toorganizations) affected by policy able to
adapt to the change in policy?adapt to the change in policy?

ChallengeChallenge
 Is the policy doable?Is the policy doable?
Is it realistic in termsIs it realistic in terms
of availableof available
resources,resources,
stakeholder supportstakeholder support
and outcomes?and outcomes?

CoordinationCoordination
 Is there effective coordination andIs there effective coordination and
communication between all stakeholders.communication between all stakeholders.
 Is there a feedback mechanism for courseIs there a feedback mechanism for course
corrections?corrections?

ConsistencyConsistency
 Are the actions consistent with theAre the actions consistent with the
objectives; are the objectives consistentobjectives; are the objectives consistent
with the goal?with the goal?
 Is the policy consistent with other policies?Is the policy consistent with other policies?
 Is the policy action delivered consistently?Is the policy action delivered consistently?

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives
 Goals are broad whileGoals are broad while
objectives areobjectives are
narrower, concretenarrower, concrete
results that supportresults that support
goals:goals:
 Reduce traffic injuriesReduce traffic injuries
(Goal)(Goal)
 Encourage use ofEncourage use of
seatbelts (Objective)seatbelts (Objective)
 Enforcement ofEnforcement of
seatbelt law (Action)seatbelt law (Action)

Policy OpportunitiesPolicy Opportunities
 Opportunities for new policies or policy change
occur with:
 Political change
 Structural change
 Introduction of change agents into organizations
 Response to unpredictable major events, trends and
changes
 Leverage points
 Opportunities where the application of relatively minor
resources provides huge gains.

Incremental and complex
 Policy is often incremental, making smallPolicy is often incremental, making small
changes rather than large changes.changes rather than large changes.
 ExperimentationExperimentation
 Chance eventsChance events
 Learning from mistakesLearning from mistakes
 Political/financial/stakeholder realitiesPolitical/financial/stakeholder realities

Policy Analysis TechniquesPolicy Analysis Techniques
 Cost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Benefit Analysis
 Cost-Effectiveness AnalysisCost-Effectiveness Analysis
 Influence AnalysisInfluence Analysis
 ModelingModeling
 Decomposition AnalysisDecomposition Analysis
 Forecasting / Futures AnalysisForecasting / Futures Analysis
 Ideological AnalysisIdeological Analysis
 Point of View AnalysisPoint of View Analysis

Cost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Benefit Analysis
 Identify CostsIdentify Costs
 Resources, money, personnel, equipment,Resources, money, personnel, equipment,
etc.etc.
 Identify BenefitsIdentify Benefits
 Assign a monetary amount to bothAssign a monetary amount to both
 If benefit greater than cost, implementIf benefit greater than cost, implement
policypolicy

Cost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Benefit Analysis
 Opportunities CostOpportunities Cost
 Intangible benefitsIntangible benefits
 ExternalitiesExternalities
 Difficulty in assigningDifficulty in assigning
real or exact dollarreal or exact dollar
amounts to the futureamounts to the future

Cost-Effectiveness AnalysisCost-Effectiveness Analysis
 Effectiveness of a policyEffectiveness of a policy
relative to costs.relative to costs.
 Expensive policies areExpensive policies are
sometimes justified bysometimes justified by
their effectiveness.their effectiveness.
 While some policies areWhile some policies are
more effective thanmore effective than
alternatives, less costlyalternatives, less costly
might be preferred if themight be preferred if the
difference is considereddifference is considered
minor.minor.

Influence AnalysisInfluence Analysis
 Sphere of InfluenceSphere of Influence
 Everyone or a few individuals?Everyone or a few individuals?
 General behavior or specific behavior?General behavior or specific behavior?
 MechanismsMechanisms
 Degree of coerciveness of policy?Degree of coerciveness of policy?

Influence AnalysisInfluence Analysis
Laws againstLaws against
murdermurder
Conditions ofConditions of
paroleparole
State TrafficState Traffic
regulationsregulations
City ParkingCity Parking
OrdinancesOrdinances
Number of people affected by policy
High Low
High
Low
CC
OO
EE
RR
CC
II
VV
EE
NN
EE
SS
ss

ModelingModeling
 Modeling is the creation of a simplifiedModeling is the creation of a simplified
version of reality.version of reality.
 They are used to understand policy and toThey are used to understand policy and to
make predictions about what will happenmake predictions about what will happen
 Models are used to so causal andModels are used to so causal and
functional relationshipsfunctional relationships
 Models can be graphic or descriptive.Models can be graphic or descriptive.

2X2 Matrix2X2 Matrix
 The 2X2 Matrix is anThe 2X2 Matrix is an
example of aexample of a
descriptive anddescriptive and
analytical model.analytical model.
LawsLaws
againstagainst
murdermurder
ConditionsConditions
of Paroleof Parole
StateState
TrafficTraffic
regulationsregulations
CityCity
ParkingParking
OrdinanceOrdinance
ss

Decomposition AnalysisDecomposition Analysis
 Breaking down aBreaking down a
complex problem intocomplex problem into
smaller parts.smaller parts.
 View relationship ofView relationship of
the parts to eachthe parts to each
othersothers
 View relationship ofView relationship of
parts to the wholeparts to the whole
 View the relationshipView the relationship
of parts to thingsof parts to things
external to the policyexternal to the policy

Forecasting / Futures AnalysisForecasting / Futures Analysis
 Predicting the futurePredicting the future
 Sometimes based onSometimes based on
the pastthe past
 Sometimes based onSometimes based on
other variables thatother variables that
indicate a change isindicate a change is
on the horizonon the horizon
 Often involves if/thenOften involves if/then
statementsstatements
 If this occurs, this willIf this occurs, this will
happen, etc.happen, etc.

Ideological AnalysisIdeological Analysis
 Policy approaches can be examined byPolicy approaches can be examined by
political or ideological point of view. Forpolitical or ideological point of view. For
instance:instance:
 ConservativeConservative
 LiberalLiberal
 RadicalRadical
 AlternativeAlternative

Point of View AnalysisPoint of View Analysis
 For criminal justice policy, this would beFor criminal justice policy, this would be
an analysis based on criminological theoryan analysis based on criminological theory
point of view. Essentially, how would apoint of view. Essentially, how would a
policy response change by the applicationpolicy response change by the application
of a different criminological theoryof a different criminological theory

ReferencesReferences
 International Fund for AgriculturalInternational Fund for Agricultural
Development, www.ifad.orgDevelopment, www.ifad.org

Public Policy and PracticePublic Policy and Practice
in Criminal Justicein Criminal Justice
Explore Forensic Science atExplore Forensic Science at
www.forensicprofiles.comwww.forensicprofiles.com

Public Policy and Practice: Decision Making (Part Two)

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