Which Clients Inspire or Reduce the Trust of Street-Level Bureaucrats?

2021 ◽  
pp. 009539972110616
Author(s):  
Maayan Davidovitz ◽  
Nissim Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Service Providers ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Street Level Bureaucrats

Which types of clients increase or decrease the trust of street-level bureaucrats (SLBs)? Using interviews and focus groups with two groups of Israeli social service providers—teachers and social workers—and comparing them, —we develop a theoretical framework for determining the types of clients who evoke and reduce the trust of SLBs. Our findings indicate that there are seven types of clients who inspire or diminish this trust: —cooperative, honest, familiar, benevolent, aggressive, open, and manipulative. We discuss the significance of our findings for the implementation and outcome of public policy and suggest several avenues for future research.

scholarly journals Walking the Talk of Social Equity? Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Decisionmaking About the Provision of Personal Resources

2021 ◽  
pp. 027507402110505
Author(s):  
Einat Lavee
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Social Equity ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Personal Resource ◽  
Social Service Providers ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Street Level Bureaucrats

While public administration scholars argue that core values of social equity are exceedingly important in service provision, less is known of how these values are practised on the frontline in the contemporary public administration. Research points to a dual trend: together with practices aimed at increasing clients’ wellbeing, public service workers’ decisions about allocating public resources are guided by moral perceptions of worthiness, leaving behind the most weakened populations. The current study aims to decipher this duality, analyzing street-level bureaucrats’ decisionmaking about providing personal resources to low-income clients, in order to examine whether the pursuit of social equity is manifested in informal practices. Drawing on indepth qualitative interviews of social service providers in Israel, we found that decisionmaking about personal resource provision is grounded in two distinct sets of values. Alongside a pattern of providing resources to deserving clients, street-level bureaucrats also provide them to clients typically considered undeserving. These latter practices are aimed at decreasing social inequality, demonstrating that social service providers often walk the talk of social equity.

Perceptions of Health Education of Selected Health and Social Service Providers in the Bahamas

1982 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-290
Author(s):  
Audrey Marie Deveaux ◽  
William A. Darity
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Social Service Providers ◽  
Education And Health

Health education is a new component of the health care delivery system in the Bahamas. In the past, confusion and uncertainty was expressed regarding the contribution of health education to the health care services. The intention of this study was to investigate the perceptions of selected health and social service providers to health problems, their most likely solutions, and to health education and health education related issues in the Bahamas. A questionnaire was either mailed or hand delivered to 412 selected health and social service providers in New Providence and the Family Islands in the Bahamas. Of these 127 (31%) usable questionnaires were returned. A discussion of the study findings, study limitations, implications for health education and suggestions for future research are presented. The survey results showed that a majority of respondents indicated consistent support for health education and health education related issues. This support was evident even when responses were crosstabulated with such variables as age, profession, and years of experience in present occupation.

Moving Toward Critical Consciousness and Anti-Oppressive Practice Approaches With People at Risk of Sex Trafficking: Perspectives From Social Service Providers

Affilia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 088610992110255
Author(s):  
Lara B. Gerassi ◽  
L. B. Klein ◽  
Maria del Carmen Rosales
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Native American ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Critical Consciousness ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Service Providers ◽  
Latino People

Whether and how social service providers use practice strategies that address racism is critically understudied, particularly with people who are at risk of sex trafficking. The purpose of this article is to understand (1) the perceptions of racial disparities in sex trafficking (as learned from sex trafficking education), and (2) the strategies used to address racism in practice (color-evasiveness, anti-oppressive practice [AOP]). We used a directed content analysis approach to analyze 24 semistructured, in-depth interviews of providers who knowingly encounter sex-trafficked young people in a majority white region of a Midwestern state (census indicates that minority populations include African American, Native American, and Hispanic/Latino people). Findings suggest that providers perceived sex trafficking education (e.g., trainings they attended) as predominantly focused on economic standing and family risks, rather than racial disparities and roles of structural racial oppression. They also experienced challenges in naming the racial identities of clients and addressing racism in practice. Implications for implementing critical consciousness and AOP strategies as well as future research directions are discussed.

Service provider perspectives on a focused deterrence program

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Schnobrich-Davis ◽  
Desiree Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Service Providers ◽  
Focused Deterrence ◽  
Provider Perspectives

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain the perspectives from social service providers that are a key component in focused deterrence programs. All focused deterrence/pulling levers programs have at least two essential elements: first, the message to the target population that reoffending will be met with swift and certain punishment, and second that social service providers are available to assist in their transition to a law-abiding lifestyle. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was used to gather qualitative data with open-ended interviews of social service providers that participated in Operation RASOR, a modified focused deterrence initiative that identified cross-jurisdictional, chronic offenders across three cities in New England. Findings The results showed that many providers were unable, and sometimes unwilling, to participate in the strategy due to their lack of awareness of what focused deterrence strategies encompass, participant eligibility restrictions, and lack of funding. These findings may impact the success of focused deterrence programs. Research limitations/implications Future research should include a larger sample from programs operating in different cities. The importance of the social services component of focused deterrence strategies and their capability of serving clients within those programs needs further examination for the integrity of these programs to adequately serve the participants. Originality/value The perceptions from social service providers on the program elements and ability to provide necessary services to the targeted offenders have never been examined. This study aids in expanding the literature on focused deterrence programs. It can also inform law enforcement agencies on the services that are most needed by the target population and the importance of coordinating their initiatives with service providers.

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