Adjusting the Balance: Federal Policy and Victim Services

(Hardback)

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This books offers a unique comparative perspective on the development of service programs for victims of four major violent crimes: child abuse, spouse abuse, rape, and crimes against the elderly. The study analyzes the evolution of federal policy in each area and examines the ways in which federal initiatives and federal funding affected the focus and financial stability of victim service programs. This book argues that the four issues were profoundly affected by the public policy process, the varied definition of the issues shaped by ways in which public funding was distributed. The book takes a broad view of the policymaking process--to include all branches of the federal government, as well as state and local government, the courts, and voluntary grass-roots organizations. This books offers a unique comparative perspective on the development of service programs for victims of four major violent crimes: child abuse, spouse abuse, rape, and crimes against the elderly. The study analyzes the evolution of federal policy in each area and examines the ways in which federal initiatives and federal funding affected the focus and financial stability of victim service programs. This book argues that the four issues were profoundly affected by the public policy process, the varied definition of the issues shaped by ways in which public funding was distributed. The book takes a broad view of the policymaking process--to include all branches of the federal government, as well as state and local government, the courts, and voluntary grass-roots organizations. While offering concrete information about four specific victims' policies, the book also presents very important theoretical generalizations about the policymaking process and about the effect, over time, of that process on the definition and articulation of social problems in general.

Reviews

A new public sympathy for the victims of violent crimes has been steadily developing in the United States during the 1980s; in this study, a comparative perspective on the development of service programs for victims of four major violent crimes is pursued: child abuse, spousal abuse, rape, and crimes against the elderly. The evolution of federal policy in each area is probed, and the ways in which federal initiatives and federal funding have affected the focus and financial stability of victim service programs are investigated. It is argued that the substance of the four issues has been deeply affected by the public policy process, the varied definitions of the issues shaped by ways in which public funding has been distributed. Also considered are theoretical generalizations about the process of policymaking, as well as the impact, over time, of that process on the definition and articulation of social problems in general.-Sage Urban Studies Abstracts
A useful and creditable addition to the literature of policy formulation. The authors treat four distinctive groups of victims: rape, spouse abuse, child abuse, and crimes against the elderly. Although the book focuses specifically on these four groups, it provides a conceptual framework that could be adapted to an analysis of policies relevant to any identifiable group. The authors' primary goal is to gain a deeper understanding of how public policies are formulated and implemented. An integral aspect of this goal is to seek evidence supporting the authors' thesis that how a social problem is defined will have significant influence on the development of policy. Good companion to such publications as Charles E. Lindbloom's The Policy-Making Process (1968); John W. Kingdon's Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies (1984); Daniel A Mazmanian and Paul A. Sabatier's Implementation and Public Policy (1983)...-Choice
"A useful and creditable addition to the literature of policy formulation. The authors treat four distinctive groups of victims: rape, spouse abuse, child abuse, and crimes against the elderly. Although the book focuses specifically on these four groups, it provides a conceptual framework that could be adapted to an analysis of policies relevant to any identifiable group. The authors' primary goal is to gain a deeper understanding of how public policies are formulated and implemented. An integral aspect of this goal is to seek evidence supporting the authors' thesis that how a social problem is defined will have significant influence on the development of policy. Good companion to such publications as Charles E. Lindbloom's The Policy-Making Process (1968); John W. Kingdon's Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies (1984); Daniel A Mazmanian and Paul A. Sabatier's Implementation and Public Policy (1983)..."-Choice
"A new public sympathy for the victims of violent crimes has been steadily developing in the United States during the 1980s; in this study, a comparative perspective on the development of service programs for victims of four major violent crimes is pursued: child abuse, spousal abuse, rape, and crimes against the elderly. The evolution of federal policy in each area is probed, and the ways in which federal initiatives and federal funding have affected the focus and financial stability of victim service programs are investigated. It is argued that the substance of the four issues has been deeply affected by the public policy process, the varied definitions of the issues shaped by ways in which public funding has been distributed. Also considered are theoretical generalizations about the process of policymaking, as well as the impact, over time, of that process on the definition and articulation of social problems in general."-Sage Urban Studies Abstracts

Author Bio

STEVEN RATHGEB SMITH is an Assistant Professor, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. SUSAN FREINKEL is a journalist with The Wichita Eagle-Beacon in Wichita, Kansas.