This text teaches the basics of social policy and program analysis, as well as teaching how to design new programs or improve existing ones. Students are provided with a history of social problem perspectives as well as social program and policy provisions in Chapter 2. They then learn how to locate important court decisions that shape the way a social program or policy is implemented in Chapter 3. Students also learn evaluative criteria for judging the effectiveness of major policy and program elements in order to evaluate and improve both existing programs and their own work in creating new programs. In this edition, new social programs have been included and existing programs have been updated to include the latest changes. Chapter 11, which provides an example of the analysis of a social program (child welfare), has been completely rewritten and updated.

Table of Contents:
Most chapters include “Introduction” and “Summary.”I.CREATING THE CONTEXT FOR SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS: THE SOCIAL PROBLEM — HISTORICAL AND JUDICIAL CONTEXTS. 1.Analyzing the Social Problem Background of Social Policies and Social Programs. The Nature of Social Problems. Social Problem Analysis. Using the Conclusions of Social Problem Analysis to Design Social Policies and Programs and to Judge their “Fit” to the Social Problem. 2.Creating the Context for the Analysis of Social Policies: Understanding the Historical Context. The Idea of Historical Context. Using Historical Context to Understand Social Problem Viewpoints. Using Historical Context to Understand Social Policy and Program Designs. The Food Stamp Program: An Example. 3.The Judiciary as a Shaper of Social Policy, Program, and Practice. How Are Public Programs Established and Funded? The Political and Legislative Processes. II.A STYLE OF POLICY ANALYSIS FOR THE PRACTICAL PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST. 4.An Overview of a Style of Policy Analysis: A Value-Critical Approach. The Policy and Program Analysis Process: An Overview of the Six Fundamental Policy Programs. Criteria for a Value-Critical Appraisal of Social Policy and Programs. 5.The Analysis of Policy Goals and Objectives in Social Programs and Policies. Definitions and Basic Concepts for Analysis of Goals and Objectives. Different Types of Goals and Objectives. Distinguishing between Goals and Objectives. Objectives (Not Goals) Must Contain Target Group Specifications and Performance Standards. Purpose of Goals and Objectives. Setting Goals and Objectives in the Personal Social Services. Goals and Objectives Vary According to the Developmental Stage of the Program. Methods of Identifying Goals and Objectives. Evaluating Program or Policy System Goals and Objectives: A Value-Critical Approach. Evaluating the “Fit” between Goals and Objectives and the Social Problem Analysis. Evaluating Goals and Objectives against Traditional Economic Criteria: Adequacy, Equity, and Efficiency. Evaluation Criteria Specific to Goals and Objectives. The Analyst's Own Value Perspectives in Evaluating the Merit of Goals and Objectives. Some Special Problems in Evaluating Goals and Objectives in Personal Social Services. 6.Analysis of Types of Benefits and Services. A Classification Scheme for Benefit and Service Types. Summary of Types of Benefits and Services. Multiple and Interrelated Benefits. Criteria for Evaluating the Merit of Benefit Types: Consumer Sovereignty, Coercion, and Intrusiveness. Criteria for Evaluating the Fit of the Benefit/Service Type to the Social Problem Analysis. Criteria for Evaluating the Merit of Benefit Forms: Adequacy, Equity, and Efficiency. 7.Analysis of Eligibility Rules (Who Gets What, How Much, and Under What Conditions). Types of Eligibility Rules. Criteria for Evaluating the Merit of Eligibility Rules. Trade-Offs in Evaluating Eligibility Rules. Overwhelming Costs, Overutilization, and Underutilization. Work Disincentives and Eligibility Rules. Procreational Incentives, Marital Instability, and Generational Dependency. Opportunities for Political Interference via Weak Eligibility Rules. 8.Analysis of Service-Delivery Systems and Social Program and Policy Design. Social Policy and Program Design. Some Different Types of Administration and Delivery of Social Service Programs, Benefits, and Services. Criteria for Evaluating Service Delivery. 9.Concepts for the Analysis of Methods of Financing. The Insurance Principle: Prepayments and Other Variations. Voluntary Contributions. General Revenue Appropriations. Direct Out-of-Pocket Payment by Consumer. Corporate/Employment-Based Funding of Benefits. Public and Private Funding: Distinctions. 10.Analysis of Interactions among Policy Elements. Coentitlement. Disentitlement. Contrary Effects. Duplication. III.ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL POLICIES AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS USING BASIC CONCEPTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA: AN EXAMPLE. 11.An Example of Social Policy and Social Program Analysis: Selected Features of Federal Child Welfare Legislation of the 1970-1988 Era Concerned with Child Abuse. The Social Problem Context. The Judicial Context. The Historical Context. The Social Program and Policy System. Summary of the Evaluation Critique. Bibliography. Index.