Street-level bureaucracy
Encyclopedia
Street-level bureaucracy is a term used to refer to a public agency employee who actually performs the actions that implement laws.
in 1980, who argued that "policy implementation in the end comes down to the people who actually implement it". He argued that state employees such as police
and social workers should be seen as part of the "policy-making community" and as exercisers of political power
.
, firefighters, and others who "walk the streets" with regular citizens, and provide services to protect, as well as uphold the laws.
A 2003 American
study, conducted by Steven Maynard Moody of the University of Kansas
, reiterated the significance of street-level bureaucrats in the political process, asserting that street-level workers "actually make policy choices rather than simply implement the decisions of elected officials." They also claim, based on a study of 48 street-level state employees in two states, that "workers' beliefs about the people they interact with continually rub against policies and rules" and that the prejudice
s of the street-level bureaucrats influence their treatment of citizens.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1589010418
In 2007, Emil Mackey confirmed that even the Resident Assistants in campus housing exercise their discretion to change policy at the implementation level. Furthermore, these policy implementation changes reflected the individual values of each street-level bureaucrat rather than the will of policymakers. Therefore, this research not only confirmed previous street-level bureaucrat research and literature, but also expanded it to include the Higher Education policy environment. http://library.uark.edu/search~S0?/aMackey/amackey/1%2C53%2C81%2CB/frameset&FF=amackey+emil+robert+1970&1%2C1%2C/indexsort=-
Street-level bureaucrats
The concept of street-level bureaucracy was first coined by Michael LipskyMichael Lipsky
Michael Lipsky is currently a Research Professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute. He was a program officer at the Ford Foundation after serving as a professor of political science at MIT....
in 1980, who argued that "policy implementation in the end comes down to the people who actually implement it". He argued that state employees such as police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and social workers should be seen as part of the "policy-making community" and as exercisers of political power
Political power
Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
.
Examples of street-level bureaucrats
Street-level bureaucrats include police officersPolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, firefighters, and others who "walk the streets" with regular citizens, and provide services to protect, as well as uphold the laws.
Problems with street-level bureaucracy
Lipsky identified several problems with street-level bureaucracy, including "the problem of limited resources, the continuous negotiation that is necessary in order to make it seem like one is meeting targets, and the relations with (nonvoluntary) clients". However, some commentators have challenged Lipsky's model. Tony Evans and John Harris." argue that "the proliferation of rules and regulations should not automatically be equated with greater control over professional discretion; paradoxically, more rules may create more discretion." They also argue that the exercise of professional discretion by street-level bureaucrats is not inherently "bad", but can be seen as an important professional attribute.A 2003 American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
study, conducted by Steven Maynard Moody of the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, reiterated the significance of street-level bureaucrats in the political process, asserting that street-level workers "actually make policy choices rather than simply implement the decisions of elected officials." They also claim, based on a study of 48 street-level state employees in two states, that "workers' beliefs about the people they interact with continually rub against policies and rules" and that the prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
s of the street-level bureaucrats influence their treatment of citizens.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1589010418
In 2007, Emil Mackey confirmed that even the Resident Assistants in campus housing exercise their discretion to change policy at the implementation level. Furthermore, these policy implementation changes reflected the individual values of each street-level bureaucrat rather than the will of policymakers. Therefore, this research not only confirmed previous street-level bureaucrat research and literature, but also expanded it to include the Higher Education policy environment. http://library.uark.edu/search~S0?/aMackey/amackey/1%2C53%2C81%2CB/frameset&FF=amackey+emil+robert+1970&1%2C1%2C/indexsort=-