Policy Brief Part 2
Identify the way the problem is defined Who is affected? How many are affected?
How has the problem been addressed in the past? Identify the cause(s) to which the problem is attributed and its consequences What causes this problem? What are the consequences/impact?
What is it you are asking of your legislator- to support the bill, vote against the bill, add something that is missing in the bill, etc? What information do you need to provide to get them to “buy” your “product”?
How can you tie this in with previous positions they have taken? Background of the issue to include: The nature of the issue (describe it, define it, what does it include?)
How widespread? Who is primarily impacted? What are the most recent stats on this issue? How can you highlight the problem and making it relevant for the legislator. Is there a price tag to this issue? Current status of relevant legislation to include:
Is it pending, in committee – which committee, who introduced it and when? Who is supporting it? Has it been introduced before under a different bill number? If so how many times has it died in committee? Legislative options or possible policy alternatives to include: what are the gaps in service or benefits or programs? What is missing in the current approach to this social problem/issue?
How would this legislation work? What resources or opportunities would this policy provide? Who will be covered by the policy and how? How will it be implemented? Identify short comings of current approach to issue Then introduce idea of current legislation and what that is.
Your specific policy recommendations, and why to include: Should it be voted in as is? If so summarize briefly why? What are you asking your legislature to do? vote for pending legislation (so you should provide support to its passing), or, change pending legislation to include other suggestions (which you should outline and explain. Or, suggest a change for current law – to include new ideas (which you should outline and explain)
Examples: https://www.coastal.edu/media/academics/collegeofhumanities/ilpp/policybriefs/Domestic%20Violence%20and%20VAWA.pdf (Links to an external site.)
http://gph.ucsd.edu/cgeh/Documents/Campus%20Sexual%20Assault%20Brief.pdf (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
http://knowledge.e.southern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgiarticle=1000&context=undergrad_socwork (Links to an external site.)
