Crime Control Policy Transfer from the US to the UK - Essay Example

Zero Tolerance: Crime Control Policy Transfer from the US to the UK Introduction We live in an era of frequent and sometimes radical change in what governments do and how they are organised to do it. Sometimes the changes are produced within countries as a response to social, political and economic enlargements and sometimes they originate outside the country.Research AimsThe aim of the case study will be to produce an accurate and well researched analysis on the crime control policy between the United States and the United Kingdom.

The research will rely on extensive preliminary reading, with the body of the project producing certain findings. The closing section will then attempt to summarise the study before making an overall conclusion on these findings. Moreover, the work of previous authors will be used as sources to back up assumptions and to formulate arguments throughout the entirety of the case study. Countries InvolvedIn Britain, recent years have seen a particular spotlight put upon the perceived influence of developments in the USA over domestic public policies, an occurrence not only related to Conservative administrations, but progressively more associated with developments under New Labor.

It has also been argued that the Blair-led Labor Party used to 'look across the Atlantic for inspiration and not across the Channel' (Marquand, 1996). These particular facts will be used as the core of the study, as well as for its justification.Policy DescriptionThis case study will attempt to examine one particular example of policy transfer in the relatively under investigated area of crime control policy, together with the emergence of the idea of 'zero control' in the UK. It will briefly look at the concept of crime control policy transfer, and more particularly, at where this appears to have occurred between the US and the UK over the past decade.

It will also analyse the evolution of the idea of zero tolerance in the US before offering some suggestions on the processes that have underpinned the transfer of its most recent manifestation to the UK.Topic JustificationCrime control policy was chosen as it is surprisingly limited in terms of research. Preliminary research undertaken identified 3 potential topics. The first of which was a historically based Australian/British colonial policy transfer, which would have been too broad for such an in depth case study.

The second potential choice was the Latvian/British public administration policy transfer, which was unique and original, yet didn't have the research capabilities as compared to the final crime control policy choice. Nevertheless, there is certainly enough literature to ensure that a thorough and capable research project can be undertaken. This will allow for a more accurate and in depth analysis of the proposed topic.Marquand, D. (1996) Moralists and Hedonists. In Marquand, D. and Seldon, A. (eds) The Ideas that Shaped Post-War Britain.

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