52 Chapter 5 – Policy Design and Formulation
Chapter 5 – Policy Design and Formulation
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the processes leading to public policy formation.
- Summarize policy goals, outputs, and outcomes.
- Recognize trade-offs between policy goals.
- Apply the various policy tools used to formulate successful policy.
- Compare and apply decision making models to real-life policy issues.
In chapter 4, we discussed how policy makers, interest groups, and even everyday citizens have the power to affect the public agenda. Once a policy idea has made it onto the agenda, more work must be done to move the policy through the next step in the political process. Specifically, the policy must be articulated and methodically designed for consideration by policymakers. Policy design is the practice of creating a policy response to a public problem (Peters, 2018). Birkland (2019) defines policy design as the “process by which policies are designed, through both technical analysis and the political process.” Policy design is the policymaker’s attempt to define policy goals and to connect those goals to instruments or tools that will result in achievement of those goals (Howlett, 2010). The result of policy design is the physical development of a policy proposal, or blueprint, that will eventually take the form of either a bill, regulation, or executive order. Most policy proposals in the design phase include the following elements: goals, causal models, tools, information about the target population, and a description of how the policy will be implemented (Birkland, 2019).
As an example, consider the legalization of recreational marijuana, also discussed in chapter 4. The states that have legalized marijuana did so with differing goals in mind, but, in general, most sought to decrease incarceration rates, cut out potentially dangerous “middle-men,” and create new revenue streams. Supporters of legalization created convincing causal stories demonstrating a link between marijuana arrests and the cost of those arrests on society. Once the policy made its way onto the systemic agenda, it was not enough for policy makers to simply declare marijuana legal. There were many details to consider when designing the policy. These details had to address such questions as, who can purchase marijuana and how much can an individual possess? Will age limits be placed on those who can purchase the drug? Who can grow and sell marijuana and related products? How will those who break the rules be punished? What happens to prisoners currently in jail for marijuana possession? Are offenders with misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions eligible for expungement, or will felony charges be reduced to misdemeanors? This simple example demonstrates the complexity of the policy design and formulation process. Throughout this chapter, we will discuss the intricacies of the process and even suggest ways for students to practice policy design and formulation.
