NCJ Number
198452
Journal
Criminology & Public Policy Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: November 2002 Pages: 33-42
Date Published
November 2002
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This essay questions the ability of social science research to inform public policy making.
Abstract
The author explains that one would assume that social science and pubic policy would be close bedfellows, in so much as data gathered from social scientific research may inform policymakers of the most effective public policies. However, the author contends that public policymaking and social science are worlds apart, geared toward different goals and outcomes. As such, social scientific methods lack the ability to prescribe solutions to particular problems, which is exactly the goal of public policymakers. Instead, social scientists focus on describing, in general terms, how the world functions. Policymakers, according to the author, look for quick solutions to particular problems, solutions that are within their ability to produce. In conclusion, the author of this reaction essay contends that social science cannot fully inform important policy decisions.