Methods of policy analysis

Question 1

What is the broken window theory about?

Answer 1

• Physical signs of an into-social environment encourages more serious crime.
• Broken windows, streetlights, graffiti, littering undermines cohesiveness of community.
• Combines with signal that crime is OK —> More crime

Question 2

What are som examples of cost/benefit evaluations?

Answer 2

• Administrative: Does policy meet goals at low cost to citizens and decision-makers?
• Economic: Do costs outweigh benefits of policy?
• Performance: Set quantifiable goals for public servants.

Question 3

What is one of the most important things in scientific evaluation?

Answer 3

Randomisation - if it is not a randomised study, then how can we know that it is the real effect?

Question 4

What is the two main questions in a policy evaluation?

Answer 4

• Did policy work in intended way?

- Did it meet our goals?

Question 5

Is evidence-based policy possible?

Answer 5

Strictly: Requires thorough scientific evaluation of all policies. Only implement policies that work.

Problems:

• Political will
• Tome-Constraints: Problems require fast solving.
• Difficult to experiment with large policy - amenable to small, marginal changes.
• Resource demanding.
• Will this intervention tell us something about other interventions?

Question 6

What is a main issue of experiments?

Answer 6

Experiments uncover causal effects - but only in the context where they are conducted.

Question 7

What determines that the extent to which research findings can be applied to other contexts than in which they were originally tested?

Answer 7

• Context: Crime, demographics, police organisation…
• Pre-existing conditions: Other policies, state of community
  
  • Both can suppress or enhance effects.
• Mechanisms: If you know why crime happens, you can stop it.
  
  • Evaluation is difficult without theory.
• Real policies are complex - police is not just there.
  
  • Stop-and-frisk, community interactions, door-to-door, visits arrests.

Question 8

What does qualitative methods of evaluation imply?

Answer 8

• Close observation of how behaviour responds to policy.
• Close to mechanisms
  
  • Police ride-along: How do cronomals respons to police?

Question 9

What does Quasi-experimental methods in evaluation imply?

Answer 9

Use naturally occurring ‘shocks’ that place people in treatment / control groups as-if-randomly.

Question 10

What does Actual policy implementation in evaluation imply?

Answer 10

Compare changes in circumstances when action is taken, like:
Compare crime changes on streets with more vs. fewer cops.