NCJ Number
136236
Date Published
1992
Length
333 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the relationships among social science, law, and public policy over the past 30 years emphasizes three stages in social science development: (1) establishing relationships, (2) optimizing decisions, and (3) multicriteria decisionmaking using computer software that aids decisionmaking.
Abstract
The applications are in law, public policy, and other substantive aspects of social science. The book provides an integration of the behaviorism of the 1960's in which methods moved from being highly verbal to being highly quantitative; the policy relevance of the 1970's when methods shifted from correlation to optimization; and the software developments of the 1980's which have permitted analyses of many scenarios with many goals and alternatives. During the last decade, content moved from liberalism versus conservatism to a greater concern for pluralism, pragmatism, and mutually beneficial solutions. Figures, footnotes, name and subject indexes, and 216 references (Author abstract modified)