Reform in Public Administration

Opening Reality Check

“The government that governs least, governs best” vs. “We need government to solve our problems”

American paradox: We simultaneously want:

• Smaller, more efficient government
• More services and better performance
  
• Lower taxes and higher quality
• Less bureaucracy and more accountability

Today’s focus: How reform movements try to resolve these contradictions

Why Administrative Reform Matters

It’s Not Just Academic Theory

Reform movements shape your future workplace:

• How police departments organize and operate
• What technologies courts use to manage cases
• How corrections systems approach rehabilitation
• How agencies measure and report performance

Current examples: Police reform, court modernization, criminal justice system overhauls

Your role: You’ll be both implementing existing reforms and designing new ones

America’s Reform DNA

Why We Never Stop Reforming

• Revolutionary Origins: Born from dissatisfaction with existing government
• Federalism: 50 states as “laboratories of democracy”
• Democratic Values: Regular elections create pressure for change
• Business Culture: “If it works in private sector, why not government?”
• Crisis-Driven: Major problems trigger reform movements

Result: Continuous cycle of reform, counter-reform, and new reform

Historical Pattern of Reform Waves

The Cycle Repeats

Progressive Era (1900s-1920s):

• Professional civil service, merit hiring
• Scientific management principles

New Deal (1930s-1940s):

• Expanded federal role, new agencies
• Administrative coordination and planning

Great Society (1960s):

• Social programs, community participation
• Representative bureaucracy

Reinventing Government (1980s-2000s):

• Market-based reforms, privatization
• Performance measurement, customer service

Three Major Types of Reform

Different Approaches to “Fixing” Government

• Downsizing:
  Make government smaller and cheaper
• Reinventing / Reengineering:
  Make government work like business
• Continuous Improvement:
  Make government work better

Key insight: These approaches often conflict with each other:

• Downsizing vs. better service
• Business efficiency vs. democratic accountability
• Continuous improvement vs. revolutionary change

Reform Type 1: Downsizing Government

“Government is Too Big and Costs Too Much”

Core Philosophy:

• Private sector more efficient than public
• Government crowds out private initiative
• Taxpayers are customers being overcharged
• Smaller government = better government

Famous Examples:

• Proposition 13 (California, 1978): Property tax limits
• Taxpayer Bill of Rights (Colorado): Revenue limits
• Reagan Era (1980s): Federal workforce reduction

Downsizing in Criminal Justice

Real-World Applications

Police Departments:

• Privatizing some security functions
• Civilian employees for non-enforcement roles
• Reducing administrative overhead
• Consolidating small departments

Courts:

• Electronic filing to reduce staff needs
• Automated case processing systems
• Private mediation and arbitration services
• Shared services across jurisdictions

Corrections:

• Private prison contracts
• Electronic monitoring vs. incarceration
• Community-based alternatives
• Reduced supervision caseloads

Downsizing: Benefits and Problems

What Works and What Doesn’t

Potential Benefits:

• Lower costs and taxes
• Reduced bureaucracy and red tape
• More flexible operations
• Competition-driven efficiency

Common Problems:

• Service quality may decline
• Democratic accountability weakened
• Job losses and morale problems
• False savings (costs shift elsewhere)

Example: Private prisons - cost savings vs. quality concerns and democratic oversight issues

Reform Type 2: Reinventing Government

“Government Should Work Like Business”

Osborne & Gaebler’s Principles (1992):

• Government should steer, not row
• Empower communities and families
• Inject competition into service delivery
• Be driven by mission, not rules
• Focus on results, not inputs
• Meet customer needs, not bureaucracy
• Earn rather than spend
• Prevent rather than cure
• Decentralize authority
• Solve problems through market mechanisms

Reinventing Government: Clinton Era

National Performance Review (1993-2001)

Goals:

• Cut 252,000 federal jobs
• Save $108 billion over 5 years
• Reduce red tape and regulations
• Improve customer service

Methods:

• Employee empowerment initiatives
• One-stop service centers
• Performance measurement systems
• Customer satisfaction surveys

Results: Mixed success - some savings and improvements, but also unintended consequences

Reinventing in Criminal Justice

Business-Style Reforms

Police Departments:

• Community policing: Police as service providers
• CompStat: Data-driven performance management
• Customer service: Citizen satisfaction surveys
• Decentralization: Neighborhood-based policing

Courts:

• Case management: Business process improvement
• Performance metrics: Time to disposition, case backlogs
• Customer focus: User-friendly procedures and facilities
• Technology: Electronic filing, online services

Corrections:

• Performance contracts: Outcomes-based payments
• Recidivism reduction: Results-oriented programming
• Cost-effectiveness: Per-inmate cost comparisons

Reform Type 3: Reengineering

“Blow Up the Old System and Start Over”

Core Concept: Fundamental redesign of work processes

• Don’t automate existing processes - redesign them
• Focus on outcomes, not activities
• Eliminate non-value-added steps
• Use technology to enable new ways of working

Famous Example: Passport processing - from 6 weeks to 10 days by completely redesigning the process

Reengineering in Practice

Criminal Justice Examples

Court Case Processing:

• Before: Paper files, multiple manual handoffs, sequential processing
• After: Electronic records, parallel processing, automated workflow

Police Records Management:

• Before: Paper reports, manual filing, limited search capability
• After: Digital reports, integrated databases, instant information sharing

Corrections Intake:

• Before: Multiple interviews, paper forms, manual classification
• After: Single interview, electronic records, automated risk assessment

Challenge: Reengineering often meets resistance from employees used to old ways

Reform Type 4: Continuous Improvement

“Small Changes Add Up to Big Results”

Philosophy:

• Employees closest to work know how to improve it
• Small, incremental changes are sustainable
• Quality improvement never ends
• Focus on processes, not just outcomes

Tools:

• Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Six Sigma methodology
• Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles
• Employee suggestion programs

Continuous Improvement Examples

Criminal Justice Applications

Police Departments:

• SARA Model: Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment for problem-solving
• After-action reviews: Learning from critical incidents
• Community feedback: Regular input on police performance
• Officer suggestions: Front-line input on policy improvements

Courts:

• Case flow management: Reducing delays through process improvements
• Customer feedback: User satisfaction with court services
• Technology upgrades: Incremental system improvements
• Training programs: Continuous staff development

Sources and Motivations for Reform

Why Reform Movements Start

Crisis Events:

• Major scandals or failures
• Budget crises and fiscal stress
• Technological disruptions
• Social movements and protests

Political Motivations:

• Electoral promises for change
• Ideological commitments
• Interest group pressures
• Media attention and criticism

Practical Motivations:

• Performance problems
• Citizen complaints
• Employee suggestions
• Benchmark comparisons

Current Reform

What’s Happening Now

Police Reform:

• Body-worn cameras and transparency
• Community oversight and accountability
• De-escalation training and mental health
• Data-driven crime reduction strategies

Court Modernization:

• Virtual hearings and digital processes
• Problem-solving courts (drug, mental health)
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Pretrial reform and risk assessment

Corrections Reform:

• Evidence-based rehabilitation programs
• Reducing recidivism through education and treatment
• Alternatives to incarceration
• Reentry support and services

Why Reform Often Fails

Common Implementation Problems

Organizational Resistance:

• Employees comfortable with current procedures
• Fear of job loss or reduced authority
• Lack of skills for new approaches

Political Obstacles:

• Change in leadership priorities
• Interest group opposition
• Media criticism of problems

Technical Challenges:

• Insufficient resources for implementation
• Technology failures or cost overruns
• Unintended consequences

Design Flaws:

• Unrealistic timelines or expectations
• Poor understanding of existing processes
• Inadequate planning and preparation

What Makes Reform Successful

Lessons from Success Stories

• Strong Leadership: Champions who persist through obstacles
• Clear Vision: Specific goals everyone can understand
• Stakeholder Buy-in: Including those affected in design
• Adequate Resources: Funding and time for proper implementation
• Measurement and Adjustment: Learning and adapting during implementation
• Cultural Change: Addressing values and norms, not just procedures

Example: Community policing success required changing police culture, not just tactics

Technology and Modern Reform

Digital Transformation of Government

Current Trends:

• Artificial Intelligence: Predictive policing, automated case processing
• Data Analytics: Performance dashboards, evidence-based decisions
• Mobile Technology: Field access to information systems
• Social Media: Community engagement and transparency
• Cloud Computing: Shared services and cost reduction

Opportunities and Challenges:

• Efficiency vs. privacy concerns
• Innovation vs. digital divide
• Automation vs. human judgment

Future of Administrative Reform

Emerging Approaches

Evidence-Based Reform:

• Using research to guide changes
• Pilot testing before full implementation
• Rigorous evaluation of results

Human-Centered Design:

• Starting with user needs and experiences
• Involving citizens in reform design
• Focus on service delivery, not just efficiency

Agile Government:

• Rapid experimentation and learning
• Quick adaptation to changing circumstances
• Continuous improvement cycles

Network Governance:

• Collaboration across organizational boundaries
• Public-private partnerships
• Community co-production of services

Case Study: Body-Worn Cameras

Reform in Action

Problem: Police accountability and community trust
Reform Type: Technology-enabled transparency and performance improvement

Implementation Challenges

• Technical: Camera reliability, data storage costs
• Legal: Privacy policies, evidence procedures
• Organizational: Officer resistance, policy development
• Political: Community expectations, budget approval

Lessons

• Successful reform requires addressing all dimensions, not just buying technology.

Module 5-2 Summary

Key Takeaways:

• Administrative reform is a continuous American tradition
• Different reform types often conflict with each other
• Reform movements respond to crises, politics, and practical problems
• Technology is creating new opportunities and challenges
• Successful reform requires leadership, resources, and cultural change
• Future reforms will emphasize evidence, user-centered design, and networks
• You’ll be both implementing existing reforms and designing new ones

Next: Examining human capital management and personnel systems in detail