NCJ Number
231477
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2010 Pages: 352-357
Date Published
July 2010
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Researchers are often frustrated by their inability to influence policy. This article describes models of policymaking to provide new insights and a more realistic assessment of research impacts on policy.
Abstract
The authors describe five prominent models of policymaking and illustrate them with examples from the alcohol and drugs field, before drawing lessons for researchers. Policymaking is a complex and messy process, with different models describing different elements. The authors start with the incrementalist model, which highlights small amendments to policy, as occurs in school-based drug education. A technical/rational approach then outlines the key steps in a policy process from identification of problems and their causes, through to examination and choice of response options, and subsequent implementation and evaluation. There is a clear role for research, as illustrated with the introduction of new medications, but this model largely ignores the dominant political aspects of policymaking. Such political aspects include the influence of interest groups, and this study describes models about power and pressure groups, as well as advocacy coalitions, and the challenges they pose for researchers. These are illustrated with reference to the alcohol industry, and interest group conflicts in establishing a Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. Finally, the authors describe the multiple streams framework, which alerts researchers to 'windows of opportunity', and they show how these were effectively exploited in policy for cannabis law reform in Western Australia. Understanding models of policymaking can help researchers maximize the uptake of their work and advance evidence-informed policy. References (Published Abstract)