Administrative Policy Analysis or Case Study

Once you have a law/policy or practice to explore, we want to examine the effectiveness of a public policy, law or practice. Successful policy analysis examines how a public policy in a specific area might be improved. Remember that you are limited to the State of Florida, MiamiDade County, or a local Municipality. Therefore, you may NOT explore a Federal law/policy or practice.

For most case studies, some basic guidelines apply:

1. Select a particular policy to study

2. Carefully define the social, governmental, economic, or other problem which the policy is designed to solve.

3. Describe the economic, social, and political environments in which the problem arose and in which the existing policy for solving the problem was developed.

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the policy or lack thereof in dealing with the problem.

5. Identify alternative problems that could be adopted to solve the selected problem, and estimate the economic, social, environmental, and political costs and benefits of each alternative.

Case Study Assignment Guidelines and Stages

Because writers compose best when they are interested in the topic, I want you to have some say about what you will write. (Notice I said "some" say; I will dictate the general approach, but you will select the specific policy). Because this is a political science course, I want you to write about topics that involve politics or those in which politics play a role. Do some thinking, along with some internet browsing, about government policies and/or practices and find one or two of interest to you (positively or negatively); they can be local (Ex: Miami Beach's policy on dealing with the homeless), regional (Ex: South Florida Water Management's policy on flood control), at the state level (Ex: Florida's Food Stamp program and its policy on recruiting eligible citizens). Try to find a topic that suits your interests or curiosity.

Do not get bogged down in topic choice. Pick something interesting and move on. Once you find a policy or practice, engage in some preliminary research on the policy itself and the department or institution from which it comes. Find out as much as you can. When was the policy implemented? Why? What does it say? Who does it serve? Has there been a public reaction to it? Has the policy encountered problems with its implementation? Is the policy itself problematic? How so? Consider calling/emailing and asking for information, such as an annual report or other material.

For your proposal: Type up your notes and/or compile the data you have collected and submit a proposal for your case study. Your proposal must include the following:

1. identify and define your policy;

2. explain, briefly, why it was enacted (what problem does it attempt to solve?);

3. and your position on the policy (effective or ineffective?).

You will submit your proposal to me via email by Friday, April 1st. Sample proposals available on the next page.

Warning: You may not "recycle" prior papers completed for other classes, forcing you to selfplagiarize; it is illegal in the academic community. If you want to re-investigate a topic you have worked on before, see me and we will insure that you do so correctly.

I want your topic ideas in writing via email by Friday, April 1st, 5 PM I will reply and redirect you if necessary.

SAMPLE PROPOSAL 1:

Case Study Proposal

Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) issue the Code of Student Conduct (CSC) on a yearly basis, which outlines expected student behaviors, responsibilities, and rights. The regulations primarily present post-conflict solutions and explain administrative procedures.

Among the processes targeting bullying and assault-related issues, there is no direction as to how the student should react in such circumstances. Additionally, preventative measures are only imposed once a conflict has occurred. MDCPS does not instruct students on how to respond to aggressive behaviors from fellow students or staff. The only text that gives directions is targeted at figures of authority, the language used is vague in regards to when and how force should be used. The consequences of self defense in the Miami-Dade system punish both the perpetrator and the victim. While the school system attempts to reinforce non-violent procedures, it fails to discuss the procedures necessary to those who fall victims of physical assaults. The proposed solution relies on appropriate training for administration and staff on how they should react and prevent violence. Methods would include conflict resolution, physical training to prevent assaults, and higher levels of concentration on communicating personal problems that may prompt students to act out aggressively.

SAMPLE PROPOSAL 2:   Define Florida State Legislature adopted Chapter 776 into its Penal code in 2005. This chapter defines the Florida Statute of justifiable use of force or "Stand Your Ground," which grants the right of an individual to use force in the event that they feel threatened. Under "Stand Your Ground" a person must state why they felt threatened in a pre-trial hearing.

What problem "Stand Your Ground" has attempted to solve "Stand Your Ground" law, which was first implemented in Florida in 2005, serves citizens in over eighteen states and is in place to protect individuals who use deadly force in a time of selfdefense. "Stand Your Ground" is an extension of the "Castle Doctrine," which allowed for someone to use deadly force without "duty to retreat" if attacked. The crossover of "Castle Doctrine" ensured people had the same right in a public setting. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is one of the main proponents of "Stand Your Ground" and was one of the organizations funding the law's creation in 2005. The NRA remains at the forefront of ensuring that "Stand Your Ground" laws not only stay in legislation, but that the laws currently in place become stronger.

Effectiveness

This paper will analyze both the policy and implementation ineffectiveness of the law "Stand Your Ground." Many have begun to look into "Stand Your Ground" laws implemented in states across the country, including the National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws; this task force along with other lawyers and organizations point to both various loopholes in the law and the "unpredictable, uneven and even racial" disparities in the law. "Justifiable homicides" as defined by Chapter 776 in the Florida State Penal Code have led Florida to see an increase from about 34 justified homicides during the first half of the 2000s (2000-2004) to 105 justified homicides in 2009.

Approach

My plan of approach will be from various State of Florida cases of the law along with fact-based expert analysis. An interest will be on Florida Legislature committee hearings and the frequency that "Stand Your Ground" is discussed and additional bills for this issue. Public opinion and results will measure how effective this law has served the people of Florida. Stand Your Ground Law