Influences on Social Policy-Making

Question 1

influences social policy making - what type of research do governments use when forming policies?

Answer 1

research that justifies social policies that support their political ideologies
ignores other evidence

Question 2

influences social policy making - who provides policy advice to governments?

Answer 2

research institutes that align to their own interests

Question 3

influences social policy making - demoa and the institute public policy research

Answer 3

sympathetic to labour party

provides evidence that supports their ideological preferences

Question 4

influences social policy making - what influences acceptance of policy advice?

Answer 4

desire to win elections

if policy is unpopular with public, unlikely to be adopted

Question 5

influences social policy making - ministry of justice research

Answer 5

prison cuts crimes so little that it doesn’t justify the money it costs
yet politicians call for more imprisonment as it is popular with the voters

Question 6

influences social policy making - why do government misuse research?

Answer 6

to justify policy decisions by ignoring evidence that doesn’t fit their preconceptions

Question 7

influences social policy making - cannabis

Answer 7

government reclassified legal status from class C to class B (more harmful)
scientific advisors said it wasn't necessary as cannabis fell from 13.4% to 9.4%

Question 8

influences social policy making - why do governments ignore sociological work?

Answer 8

it involves politically sensitive issues, questions effects of government policies and highlights uncomfortable truths about society

Question 9

influences social policy making - how do people with power see sociology?

Answer 9

biased
value-laden
rather than confront uncomfortable information