PUB POL 201 – FINAL QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
What is street-level bureaucracy? Why is this important in context of public policy and
governance? - answers - -slb are the people at the frontlines who are working with the
public who use discretion when implementing policy
-they are the ones closest to us (even part of our families) who impact our perception of
bureaucracy
What are the five characteristics that maynard-moody and portillo (2011) identify as
noteworthy for understanding "the influence street-level bureaucrats hold in american
bureaucracy"? How do these characteristics shape the role that street-level bureaucrats
play and the ways in which street-level bureaucrats interact with clients/citizens? -
answers - -frontline status
-people processing
-inherent discretion
-irreducible autonomy
-ultimate policymaking
-they are people who do not often have a say in what policies are created however they
determine how much they want to implement
Why do scholars often say that slb are the ultimate policymakers? - answers - policy is
abstract until it is delivered to the people or until people experience it
Within inherent discretion, what are creaming and principal-agent theory? - answers - -
creaming: slb choose the easiest cases but this perpetuates disparities because not
everyone is given same amount of treatment
-principal-agent theory: agent and principals always working in self-interest which
affects ability for mission or goal to be achieved; necessary for accountability
Why is discretion such a central topic in conversations and studies about slb? In what
ways is discretion a liability or an asset? - answers - -discretion is important because it
will determine who will get served and how they will be treated because discretion is
connected to internal bias
-liability:
A bottom of hierarchy, fleeting contact, principal agent theory, different priorities emerge
compared to supervisors, policy abstract until delivered
-asset: allows for people to do more than the given regulations, more personal
What specific role do slb play relative to immigration policy in the us? - answers - -ice:
can take care of children, advocate for, let people stay, make people leave
-defense lawyers able to advocate for their client or not
, -teachers and police officers interacting with migrant children
What are policy tools? Why is a framework to think about policy tools useful in the
context of public policy and governance? - answers - -policy tools are what
governments use to solve problems
-framework is useful because it can help conceptualize ill structured/ wicked problems
as constellation of well-structured problems to get closer to finding a solution
What are the different criteria that can be used to judge or evaluate a policy tool? How
would you define these criteria? Why would these criteria be useful to a policymaker? -
answers - -coercion: extent to which a policy tool restricts your ability to choose (like
regulations)
-directness: extent to which government is working directly with individual
-visibility: how a tool shows up relatively in budget
-automaticity: extent to which policy tools utilize existing policy
What does it mean for the government to use "direct" policy tools to solve a policy
problem? What are these policy tools? How would you describe each of them and their
use to address a policy problem? What is an example of each of these direct policy
tools? - answers - -direct tool: government directly supplies the service
-direct government: seen as always feasible but not always politically feasible
-government corporations: amtrak; identifying needs that is provided by government
corporation
-economic regulation: licensing a business; entry and exit of firms in market; controlling
what can be sold
-public information: smokey the bear; providing information but not very effective
because perceived as a suggestion
-direct loans: student loans; loan to people in order to get something done (like
betterment of society)
What does it mean for the government to use "indirect" policy tools to solve a policy
problem? What are these policy tools? How would you describe each of them and their
use to address a policy problem? What is an example of each of these indirect policy
tools? - answers - -indirect tool: government uses other forms (like collaboration that
doesn't directly create a difference but produces an outcome through action); gov
working through market
-contracting: construction, catholic community services; government hires third party to
solve issues through legally binding paperwork
-social regulation: ticket for speeding, minimum wage, oash; for individuals to be safe
-loan guarantee: fannie mae, freddie mac; lending to improve the economy and make
sure loans happen
-insurance: federal deposit insurance corporation; to reassure people will participate in a
certain behavior desired
-tax expenditures: mortgage interest or employer sponsored insurance; to incentive a
certain behavior
ANSWERS
What is street-level bureaucracy? Why is this important in context of public policy and
governance? - answers - -slb are the people at the frontlines who are working with the
public who use discretion when implementing policy
-they are the ones closest to us (even part of our families) who impact our perception of
bureaucracy
What are the five characteristics that maynard-moody and portillo (2011) identify as
noteworthy for understanding "the influence street-level bureaucrats hold in american
bureaucracy"? How do these characteristics shape the role that street-level bureaucrats
play and the ways in which street-level bureaucrats interact with clients/citizens? -
answers - -frontline status
-people processing
-inherent discretion
-irreducible autonomy
-ultimate policymaking
-they are people who do not often have a say in what policies are created however they
determine how much they want to implement
Why do scholars often say that slb are the ultimate policymakers? - answers - policy is
abstract until it is delivered to the people or until people experience it
Within inherent discretion, what are creaming and principal-agent theory? - answers - -
creaming: slb choose the easiest cases but this perpetuates disparities because not
everyone is given same amount of treatment
-principal-agent theory: agent and principals always working in self-interest which
affects ability for mission or goal to be achieved; necessary for accountability
Why is discretion such a central topic in conversations and studies about slb? In what
ways is discretion a liability or an asset? - answers - -discretion is important because it
will determine who will get served and how they will be treated because discretion is
connected to internal bias
-liability:
A bottom of hierarchy, fleeting contact, principal agent theory, different priorities emerge
compared to supervisors, policy abstract until delivered
-asset: allows for people to do more than the given regulations, more personal
What specific role do slb play relative to immigration policy in the us? - answers - -ice:
can take care of children, advocate for, let people stay, make people leave
-defense lawyers able to advocate for their client or not
, -teachers and police officers interacting with migrant children
What are policy tools? Why is a framework to think about policy tools useful in the
context of public policy and governance? - answers - -policy tools are what
governments use to solve problems
-framework is useful because it can help conceptualize ill structured/ wicked problems
as constellation of well-structured problems to get closer to finding a solution
What are the different criteria that can be used to judge or evaluate a policy tool? How
would you define these criteria? Why would these criteria be useful to a policymaker? -
answers - -coercion: extent to which a policy tool restricts your ability to choose (like
regulations)
-directness: extent to which government is working directly with individual
-visibility: how a tool shows up relatively in budget
-automaticity: extent to which policy tools utilize existing policy
What does it mean for the government to use "direct" policy tools to solve a policy
problem? What are these policy tools? How would you describe each of them and their
use to address a policy problem? What is an example of each of these direct policy
tools? - answers - -direct tool: government directly supplies the service
-direct government: seen as always feasible but not always politically feasible
-government corporations: amtrak; identifying needs that is provided by government
corporation
-economic regulation: licensing a business; entry and exit of firms in market; controlling
what can be sold
-public information: smokey the bear; providing information but not very effective
because perceived as a suggestion
-direct loans: student loans; loan to people in order to get something done (like
betterment of society)
What does it mean for the government to use "indirect" policy tools to solve a policy
problem? What are these policy tools? How would you describe each of them and their
use to address a policy problem? What is an example of each of these indirect policy
tools? - answers - -indirect tool: government uses other forms (like collaboration that
doesn't directly create a difference but produces an outcome through action); gov
working through market
-contracting: construction, catholic community services; government hires third party to
solve issues through legally binding paperwork
-social regulation: ticket for speeding, minimum wage, oash; for individuals to be safe
-loan guarantee: fannie mae, freddie mac; lending to improve the economy and make
sure loans happen
-insurance: federal deposit insurance corporation; to reassure people will participate in a
certain behavior desired
-tax expenditures: mortgage interest or employer sponsored insurance; to incentive a
certain behavior
