Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society

ISBN 10: 030905396X / ISBN 13: 9780309053969

Published by Routledge, 1996

About this Item

A copy that has been read, remains in good condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine and cover show signs of wear. Pages can include notes and highlighting and show signs of wear, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels or previous owner inscriptions. 100% GUARANTEE! Shipped with delivery confirmation, if you're not satisfied with purchase please return item! Ships via media mail.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society
• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication Date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 030905396X
• ISBN 13: 9780309053969
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: good

About this title

Synopsis

Understanding Risk addresses a central dilemma of risk decisionmaking in a democracy: detailed scientific and technical information is essential for making decisions, but the people who make and live with those decisions are not scientists. The key task of risk characterization is to provide needed and appropriate information to decisionmakers and the public. This important new volume illustrates that making risks understandable to the public involves much more than translating scientific knowledge. The volume also draws conclusions about what society should expect from risk characterization and offers clear guidelines and principles for informing the wide variety of risk decisions that face our increasingly technological society.

• Frames fundamental questions about what risk characterization means.
• Reviews traditional definitions and explores new conceptual and practical approaches.
• Explores how risk characterization should inform decisionmakers and the public.
• Looks at risk characterization in the context of the entire decisionmaking process.

Understanding Risk discusses how risk characterization has fallen short in many recent controversial decisions. Throughout the text, examples and case studies—such as planning for the long-term ecological health of the Everglades or deciding on the operation of a waste incinerator—bring key concepts to life. Understanding Risk will be important to anyone involved in risk issues: federal, state, and local policymakers and regulators; risk managers; scientists; industrialists; researchers; and concerned individuals.

About the Author

Paul C. Stern and Harvey V. Fineberg, Editors; Committee on Risk Characterization, National Research Council