Social Policy and Social Programs: A Method for the Practical Public Policy Analyst

A popular and practical exploration of the basics of social policy and program analysis, including how to design new programs or evaluate and improve upon existing ones.

The fourth edition Social Policy and Social Programs continues to benefit anyone with a practical interest in the analysis, evaluation and design of social policy and programs. Readers begin with a historical overview of perspectives on social problems as well as social program and policy provisions. From this foundation, they learn how to identify important past court decisions that have shaped the way a social program or policy is implemented. The authors Donald E. Chambers and Kenneth Wedel then discuss methods for obtaining and analyzing evaluative criteria for judging the effectiveness of major policy and program elements in order to improve both existing programs and future work in creating a new one.

This popular and practical text explores the basics of social policy and program analysis, including how to design new programs or evaluate and improve upon existing ones.

Highlights of the Fourth Edition

• Provides students with the criteria for judging the effectiveness of current programs, enabling them to apply what they've learned to improve existing programs or to create new ones.
• Features a model chapter that uses child welfare legislation to highlight methods of analysis and the results of the analysis, demonstrating for students the practical applications of theoretical concepts (Chapter 10).
• Outlines a method for analyzing personal social services generally provided by social workers, such as counseling and therapeutic, supportive assistance, as well as “hard benefits,” such as food stamps, cash, or housing vouchers.

What Reviewers Think:

“I found the text easy to follow...and practical in its identification of skills and information useful for practitioners in a variety of professional settings.”
Carla M. Curtis, Ohio State University

“Social Policy and Social Programs provides a simple and concise model for analyzing social policies.”
William E. Buffum, Barry University

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