Measuring dynamic collaborations: Collaborative health assessment tool

The changing nature of organisations in the public sector means that collaboration has become an imperative for many. Notwithstanding considerable scholarly agreement about factors contributing to successful collaboration, a broadly accepted model of collaborative practice has not coalesced. In this paper, we put forward an augmented collaboration assessment tool. Building on existing research, we argue that systems thinking can help us better account for the dynamic and multidimensional nature of collaboration – a process in which partner organisations are interconnected and organised in a way that seeks to achieve a common purpose that they could not have achieved alone. We tested the validity of our tool using a three‐stage, iterative mixed‐methods approach. Our research confirms the value of a diagnostic tool to assist collaboration partners navigate an often uncertain terrain. It further establishes the value of our tool in illuminating a collaboration's dynamic interactions as a means to evaluate ‘collaboration health’.     

Technocracy,democracy, and public policy: An evaluation of public participation in retrospective regulatory review

Retrospective review of existing regulations is an increasingly common aspect of the regulatory policy cycle. As with prospective regulatory policymaking, public participation is a central feature of many retrospective review initiatives. Despite its theoretical and practical significance, participation in retrospective review has received little scholarly attention. This paper presents the first systematic assessment of participation in United States retrospective regulatory review. Utilizing content analysis of an original dataset of government documents and public input produced pursuant to Executive Orders 13563, 13579, and 13610, the paper analyzes participatory institutional design, the level and composition of participants, and participation processes. The results suggest that retrospective review participation processes largely reflected the modes of stakeholder outreach and engagement employed in prospective regulatory policymaking, but resulted in comparatively low levels of participation. Consistent with the purposes enumerated in the executive orders, participation processes facilitated information exchange and were relatively representative of and responsive to stakeholders.     

参与式性别预算:来自温岭的探索

中国近年兴起的参与式性别预算是指从性别视角审议与监督政府的财政预算,较典型的是浙江温岭的实践,其实质是当地参与式预算的延伸与拓展。这种参与式性别预算的动力来自于体制内部,即人大推动和党委政府的支持。参与式性别预算的主体是多元的,包括人大、党委、政府、妇联、人大代表和基层民众等,他们各司其职又紧密配合,其运行机制和参与式预算互为依存,或者说依系于参与式预算的基本框架。参与式性别预算的内容主要包括三个层面:一是针对女性的专项预算支出;二是与女性关系更密切的预算支出;三是一般性的预算支出。这一女性参与决策的新途径已经取得明显成效。但是,如果从完整规范的预算周期评估来看,仍有待拓展和深化。     

监狱内部工作风险评估探析简

监狱在对社会风险进行化解和管控的同时,其自身内部也面临着比其他机构更多的风险,监狱内部工作风险具有复合性、潜在性、多发性特点,其风险源主要源于监狱警察、罪犯、监狱制度及监狱环境。监狱内部工作风险可以通过常规经验、内部工作流程、风险事件等指标予以识别,在此前提下采取定量与定性相结合,定性为主而定量为辅的方法进行评估。     

司法实践中社区矫正的瓶颈制约及对策——以缓刑的审执为视角

2011年修订的刑法修正案(八)使得社区矫正首次进入刑法规制的范围,并且明确规定社区矫正是管制、缓刑、假释的执行方式。2012年1月10日最高人民法院、最高人民检察院、公安部、司法部也出台了社区矫正实施办法规范社区矫正工作,各地也纷纷制订了社区矫正实施细则等保障社区矫正工作的顺利进行。然而社区矫正在调查评估、居住地的确定及社区矫正的撤销等环节仍存在制约其发展的瓶颈,以缓刑的审执过程中存在的问题为视角,探讨社区矫正在执行中所存在的问题,以促进社区矫正的完善。     

浅析国际化特色课程考评的反思与创新

北京青年政治学院合作办学重点研究课题之一,是如何规范国际化特色课程考核评价。针对我院中加合作办学三个专业的课程设置情况及考核评价情况进行分析,提出适应国际化特色的课程体系,应运用多样化、灵活性的考核方式,课证融合的考核评价方式,项目考核加强过程管理,考核内容侧重实际应用能力,建立校企合作的评价体系。     

“立法腐败”的界定、危害与规制

我国立法腐败具有非典型性、合理隐蔽性及局域性等特点,立法腐败降低了立法质量,进而影响了法益保护的有效性,整体上可能引起公众对政治合法性秩序不认可的价值判断,从而导致潜在的合法性危机。立法腐败的规制,应着重从立法腐败的特点切入,并借助于密切相关的制度机制。     

Caught in the Act: States Doing Some Things Right in Juvenile Justice

Bashing of juvenile justice systems in the United States is commonplace. We wondered if this is justified. As a product of our everyday practice and academic assessment, this article draws attention to salutary developments on several fronts, including reduced confinement, systematic assessment of child risks and needs, including use of structured decision‐making tools, evidence based services, and construction of comprehensive service plans. Our goal is to draw attention to best practices such as these that can lead to further advancements in juvenile justice systems.     

Authentic assessment in contract law: legal drafting

Legal drafting is a vital skill for lawyers and thus it is important for law students to be exposed to drafting throughout their degree. One of the first year courses most suited to this exercise is contract law. This paper discusses the inclusion of a drafting exercise as part of the contract law assessment over four years in terms of the authenticity of the assessment task and feedback from students about the exercise. A sample exercise is included in the paper. These exercises required students to draft clauses to be inserted into a contract or draft a short contract and this work demonstrated an application of the material being covered in class. Initially, this assessment was set as a largely independent exercise with students being directed to relevant resources. It was found that additional scaffolding was needed and each year more extensive resources were provided. Although the students who participated in the survey were predominantly students who had passed the course, the majority each year believed that it was a useful exercise, of value for their future careers and of more practical relevance than other forms of assessment.