Social Policy/Social Justice Midterm

Stages of Policy Development

1. Problem Identification

2. Policy Demands  

3. Agenda Formation

4. Policy Adoption 

5. Policy Implementation

6. Policy Evaluation

Problem Identification

• Issues can be identified by concerned citizens, the media, advocacy groups, and politics

  • Examples of issues: increasing crime rates, human trafficking, death penalty, prison overcrowding, sex offender legislation, etc.

Policy Demands

Usually incorporates debate and discussion over the intent of the policy; what is the policy’s goal?

Agenda Formulation

• Probably one of the most politicized stages during policy development due to it involving many voices. 

• The voices that want to be heard are government officials, special interest groups, and those who are impacted by the policy

Policy Adoption

Involves the passage of new laws, or the signing of executive orders by Governors or the President of the U.S

Policy Implementation

• Involves spending money and allocating funds accordingly, though it is not always done according to the authors’ intent

  • For example hiring more police officers, increasing police presence in certain areas, and allocating funds to supervise the offenders in the community

  • Some challenge is that the policy might have been written to vaguely and there wasn’t enough funds to effectively implement the policy just to name a few

Policy Evaluation

• The final stage looks at the efficacy of the policy. It can be divided into two categories

  • Process Evaluation 

    • Looking at the progression of the policy. Seeing if there were any areas that could be improved or streamlined

  • Outcome Evaluation

    • Looks at the changes that occur as a result of the policy

How does the initiative allow citizens to bypass the legislature when making laws?

Through an alternative method called Direct Democracy: the Initiative; citizens can petition, acquire the required amount of signatures, get the proposition on the ballot, and then vote. This method bypasses the legislature

Crime Control Model

• The most important function of the justice system is to suppress and control criminal behavior as a function of public order in society 

• Coincides with the conservative philosophy

Due Process Model

• The protection of individual rights and freedoms is of the utmost importance

• Coincides with the liberal philosophy

Findings of the 1997 University of Maryland Report

• 14 programs had at least two moderately strong categories; “What Works” classification 

• 23 programs has at least two moderately strong categories that demonstrated program ineffectiveness; “What Doesn’t Work” 

• 30 programs has at least one moderately strong area of research that suggested that the program was effective; “What’s Promising” 

• All other programs were placed in the “What’s Unknown” 

• Overall, the strength of the studies was low, therefore, they were unable to provide proper guidance on how to reduce crime rates

Fidelity

Implementing the program according to its original intent

The Seven Dimensions of Fidelity

• Delivery (in person or through zoom) 

• Dosage (how often the meetings happen, for example, once a week or once a month) 

• Setting (where the meeting are going to take place) 

• Target Population (who is it aimed for) 

• Materials (what is needed for the program to happen and the resources that can be given) 

• Provider Qualifications (having trained professionals) 

• Provider Training

Who do universal prevention programs target?

The main target of _____ programs that are target a broad population to help prevent or delay any crime or problems through addressing any risk factors and to help contribute protection for everyone

Benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Being able to analyze crime that is happening in the area better

• Improved resource allocation 

• Improved public communication

Limitations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Cost 

• Accuracy of the data collected 

• Having potential of creating bias

Crime Displacement

Where crime shifts in some way such as location or time due to crime prevention tactics

Ways Crime Displacement Occurs

• Spatial displacement 

  • Move to a different location 

• Temporal displacement 

  • Offend at a time when officers are not present 

• Tactical displacement 

  • Used to easily avoid detection 

• Target displacement

  • Select targets and victims that are not well guarded 

• Offense displacement

  • Commit crime that are not the focus of police activity

What are some of the criticisms of aggressive tactics such as “sweeps” and “crackdown?

• Could have a disproportionate effects on minorities 

• Fails to address the root causes of crime 

• Could cause the public to question the legitimacy of the police 

What is a pro-arrest policy?

does not require police officers to make an arrest in domestic violence but it is the preferred outcome

What did the proponents and opponents of this policy argue?

Proponents of the policy argued that it would lead to economic growth, improved public services, and overall better standards of living. They believed that the policy would create jobs and stimulate investment in key sectors. In contrast, opponents argued that the policy could lead to increased inequality and social unrest, citing concerns about its impact on vulnerable populations. They emphasized the potential for negative consequences such as reduced funding for essential services and increased burden on low-income families.

Mandatory Arrest

Requires officers to make an arrest if there is evidence that an act of domestic violence has taken place, or that there is imminent threat of physical or sexual harm

Arguments for Mandatory Arrest

• IPV affects society as a whole; responsibility of maintaining public order and safety

• Mandating arrest protects victim

• Abusers are held accountable, and arresting them sends the message that IPV will not be tolerated

• It makes it clear that IPV is as serious as other forms of assault

Arguments Against Mandatory Arrest

• Assumes that it is always beneficial to victim

• Victims will be afraid to contact police

• Arrest can escalate violence

• Can disempower victims, and remove their autonomy

• Reinforces the idea that victims cannot make rational choices

Discuss the Minneapolis domestic violence experiment (MDVE) and its findings.

• Compared three different approaches to see if any were effective in preventing future acts of violence 

  • “Traditional” approach 

    • The two parties are separated 

  • “Psychological” approach 

    • Officers attempted to mediate the dispute by using psychological techniques 

  • “Criminalization” approach 

    • Offender was arrested 

• Finding of the MDVE

  • Arrests reduced recidivism 

    • Criminalization: 19% of those arrested committed another crime 

    • Psychological: 37% of those assigned to the psychological group committed another crime 

    • Traditional: 33% of those where parties were separated committed another crime 

  • Influenced the adoption of mandatory arrest policies where separated and in 1994 the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed 

    • The act allocates federal funds to state, local and Indian tribal governments to help stop violence against women

What does the Full Faith and Credit Provision for Protection Orders of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) do?

• Protection Orders 

  • Prohibit contact between a victim and their abuser 

  • VAWA 

    • Full faith and Credit provision for protection orders 

      • Protection orders are enforced in every state, regardless of where it originated

What's the underlying motive for the 13th amendment leaving a loophole for slave labor?

The underlying motive that allows a loophole in slave labor is to allow forced labor on those who were convicted of crimes. More specifically it addressed the economic challenges that the South faced after the civil war due to the lack of slavery.

How is drug legalization similar to the consumption of alcohol?

• The most permissive drug policy 

• Some or all drugs can become legal - under certain circumstances, they can be purchased from government approved vendors and consumed

• Regulations are similar to alcohol regulations

• Behaviors associated with drug use, such as drunk driving, can still be criminalized

What is harm reduction?

• Also known as harm minimization

• These polices do not focus on the elimination of drug use and addiction

• Can include needle exchange programs and clean needle distribution

  • Helps reduce the spread of HIV, Hepatitis, etc.

• The most controversial approach is opiate replacement therapy

  • It is used for treating heroin addiction

  • Uses methadone

  • Believes that the new drug is less harmful then heroin

  • Treatments have been found to be effective

  • It is embraced by the federal government

Describe the similarities and differences between the Jacob Wetterling Act, Megan’s Law, and the Pam Lychner Act.

• Jacob Wetterling Act

  • First federal law to require a statewide sex offender registration system

• Megan’s Law

  • Required that registration information now be available to the public

• Pam Lychner Act

  • Established a national database maintained by the FBI to track all sex offenders convicted of an offense against a minor or of a violent sexual offense.

What are sex offenders required to do under the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000? 

• Registered sex offenders are required to report their attendance or employment at any higher education institution

• Information is entered into state registries

• Colleges and universities can request information from law enforcement agencies on sex offenders attending their school

What is the goal of civil commitment laws? 

• The most controversial response to sex offending

• Laws were created to treat and incapacitate mentally ill sex offenders, and was an alternative to prison

• Now, incarcerated sex offenders nearing the end of their sentence can be transferred to a hospital for ________

• Section 301 of the Adam Walsh Act provided grants to states to develop ________ programs for eligible offenders

• The goal is to provide treatment to sex offenders, but most do not receive treatment

• _______ costs are expensive

  • $350 per day