Pitfalls of Contracting for Policy Advice: Preparing Performance Budgeting Reform in Estonia

The goal of this article is to analyze the challenges involved in contracting for policy advice with the example of performance budgeting reform in Estonia in 2009–2011. The Estonian Ministry of Finance has sought to prepare a major change in the budgeting system by outsourcing the analytical preparation of different aspects of the reform to various private sector organizations. The case study seeks to identify the challenges and pitfalls involved in contracting for policy and management advice in the area of a major public sector reform. The Estonian experience shows that such a reform strategy can run into serious problems, including fragmented and inconsistent reform plan, limited learning, and high transaction costs. The contractualization of reform preparation has constrained deliberations on the planned changes to the strategic planning and budgeting system among the stakeholders and undermined the democratic legitimacy of the reform.     

Local Ownership and International Oversight: Police Reform in Post-Yugoslav States

ABSTRACT

This article compares the results of police reform in three post-Yugoslav states that vary in terms of local ownership. Using survey, focus group, and interview data gathered in Kosovo, Serbia, and Macedonia, we find that the public perceives the police force created and trained by international oversight as more capable and legitimate when compared to police forces that grew under local ownership. Insulation from political and societal influence led to a more capable and legitimate police force in Kosovo, while the politicization of the police force under local ownership undermined its capacity and legitimacy in Macedonia and Serbia.     

论铁路警察宏观管理体制改革

铁路警察不是企业警察,更不是一个警种,而是国家设立的、专门管理铁路治安的警察机关.现行铁路警察管理体制改革,应当在坚持政企分开、双重领导等基本原则的前提下,充分尊重铁路警察警务工作的特殊性,防止以适应警务工作共性的体制来代替铁路警察管理体制的模式.铁路警察应当成为一个相对独立、完整的系统,实行集中、统一领导.     

警体课教学改革之我见

警体教学中存在的诸多问题已愈来愈引起广大同仁的不安与关注.其核心是警体课课时的严重不足,警校毕业生在警体素质、警体技能方面远远不能适应警务实战.本文从敌情、社情的发展变化趋势,公安专业教育培养目标、其它课程精减与压缩的可能性等三方面,论证警体课时不足的原因及增加警体课教学的可能性与必要性.     

对铁路公安教育体制改革的思索

在铁路跨越式发展及铁路公安机关正规化建设的要求下,铁路公安教育日益凸现难以适应发展要求的种种弊端,因此铁路公安教育体制改革势在必行,如何对铁路公安教育进行改革是文章分析研究的要义所在。     

Security Sector Reform and Transitional Justice in Kosovo: Comparing the Kosovo Security Force and Police Reform Processes

Abstract

Transitional justice and security sector reform are critical in post-conflict settings, particularly regarding the reform of judicial systems, intelligence services, police, correctional systems, the military, and addressing systemic massive human rights abuses committed by individuals representing these institutions. Accordingly, the relationship between security sector reform and transitional justice mechanisms, such as vetting, the representation of ethnic minorities in key institutions, the resettlement and reintegration of the former combatants deserve special attention from scholars. This article presents a comparative analysis of the reform of police and security forces in Kosovo, and explores the causes of different outcomes of these two processes.     

Toward an Analytical Framework for the Study of Race and Police Violence

Treatments of race and police violence in the fields of public administration and policy have drawn eclectically from many disciplinary sources in historical, political, and managerial analysis. From an institutional perspective, emphasis has been on how organizational practices, rules, norms, and values, along with role socialization, shape germane behavior. Of particular interest to the authors is the phenomenon of race‐related police violence in its systemic but also attitudinal and behavioral manifestations in the policing role. How does an academic or practitioner researcher specify evaluative perspectives applicable to this policy and administrative challenge? There is a prior need for defined analytical and ethical positions drawing closely from public administration and policy sources. This article suggests ways to develop such grounded frameworks, built on these distinctive traditions but also going beyond them, so as to allow for an integrative approach to evaluative analysis and action on this grave and contentious issue.     

从一次调查问卷看公安院校英语教学改革

本文从一次铁警校学生英语学习状况调查问卷入手 ,分析了公安院校英语教学中在教学设备、考试制度、教师素质及授课方式等方面的不足之处 ,提出公安院校的英语教学改革应针对这些不足 ,发展高科技教学手段 ,建立严格有效的考试制度 ,培养高素质的教师队伍 ,并在具体的教学活动中以有效的课堂互动激发学生的学习兴趣。     

公法视野下的警务机制改革问题研究

随着依法治国载入宪法,我国的法治建设迈入了高速发展阶段,现代警务在此过程中也面临种种问题,警务机制改革势在必行。实践的探索离不开理论的支撑,从法理、宪法与行政法等公法角度在制度与理论层面探析这场警务机制改革意义深远。     

Preventing Dysfunction and Improving Policy Advice: The Role of Intra‐Departmental Boundary Spanners

It is well established in the public management literature that boundary spanners – people or groups that work across departments or sectors – are critical to the success of whole of government and joined‐up working. In studying recent unprecedented change to central government agencies in the Australian context, our research identified that intra‐departmental boundary spanners also play a critical role in the functioning of government departments, particularly during restructuring. Although most contemporary literature in public management concentrates on boundaries across formal organisational entities (departments, agencies, sectors), boundaries also exist within departments. Our research has found that without dedicated intra‐departmental boundary spanners, significant role confusion and dysfunctional practices arise. In turn, this has serious implications for the quality of policy advice given to Cabinet. Further research needs to be undertaken into both the role of intra‐departmental boundary spanners and how to nurture and manage the practice of intra‐departmental boundary spanners. This is especially the case if changes in Australia represent a fundamental shift more broadly in the way central government agencies operate.     

Women Police in Post‐Fitzgerald Queensland: A 20 Year Review

The Fitzgerald report was the catalyst for major reforms to Queensland's system of government and criminal justice, and included explicit recommendations related to women in policing. Reforms led to the removal of discriminatory barriers and significant improvements in the recruitment and promotion of women. However, these changes provoked a backlash in the 1990s that led to reductions in female recruitment. A return to less discriminatory policies eventually ensued, with steady improvements on key equity indicators. This paper provides a historical perspective on developments over the two decades since Fitzgerald, and includes a critical analysis of the implementation of contemporary equity and diversity strategies within the policing context. Recruitment of women police in Queensland has plateaued at one‐third and progress in the overall number of sworn women and women in management is slow. The paper concludes by emphasising the wider lessons for a more developed and proactive gender equity program in public sector employment and policing.     

Police Information Technology: Assessing the Effects of Computerization on Urban Police Functions

Municipal police agencies are major users of information technology, and much remains to be learned about the effects of computerization on police operations. This article examines computerization in 188 municipal police agencies in 1993 in cities with populations of 100,000 or more. Relationships among computer hardware, police-file computerization, and police functions are examined. Cities are categorized as low, medium, and high levels of computerization to uncover differences in expenditures and police-officer allocation. Personal computers and mainframes supported file computerization of management and administration, throughput, and crime evidence. Management and administration files influenced computerization of police functions, particularly for management and crime solutions. Highly computerized cities reported larger shares of employees in technical positions, spent more per capita, and reported fewer officers per capita than cities with lower computerization levels. These relationships held after controlling for independent influences such as density, fiscal capacity, crime levels, and population.     

搞好女职工劳动保护工作的四点建议

女职工劳动保护是整个劳动保护工作的重要组成部分。在当前新形势、新体制下，做好女职工劳动保护工作既是维护女职工合法权益和特殊利益的具体体现，也是构筑社会主义和谐文明社会、和谐文明企业的重要标志。笔者为此有针对性的提出以下四点建议。