Public policy institutions, or think tanks, research government and public policy’s effects on society. They vary in goals, leadership, and audience, but aim to educate the public and policymakers. Reports can range from fact sheets to academic articles and cover a wide range of topics. Some institutions focus on specific issues or regions, while others are sponsored by special interest groups to influence policy makers.
A public policy institution, also known as a public policy institute or, more informally, as a think tank, is typically a research institution that studies government and the effects of public policy on particular areas of society. Beyond this basic function, public policy institutes vary widely in their goals, objectives, and leadership. These organizations can be public or private, partisan or non-partisan, local or national. While nearly all of these institutions produce well-informed studies of public policy, the target audience for these studies is different for each institution.
The overall goal of a public policy institution is to study government involvement in public and social issues and to educate both the public and policy makers about the issues. This broad definition allows for a great variety of research topics. Some institutes focus on one area of public policy, such as the environment, while others are broad in scope and study policy issues ranging from economics to criminal justice to education. Some institutions focus not on a particular topic, but on any issue that affects a specific region or place.
Studies provided by a public policy institution can take a variety of forms. They can range from one-page fact sheets to comprehensive reports detailing issues more fully. Other reports may resemble academic journal articles, complete with extensive academic research. Such publications are often made publicly available on institutional websites, or may be published in books or brochures.
The scope of these reports is also very different. For example, policy research may discuss whether a new public policy initiative has succeeded in achieving its purpose or it may predict the possible outcomes of proposed policy changes. Depending on the goals of the institution itself, the report may suggest proposals with the hope of persuading policy makers to adopt the proposed changes.
One category of law enforcement institutions in the United States is the government institution. These organizations study the laws and policies that apply to particular state governments. They are usually independent and non-partisan.
Another example of a public policy institution is one sponsored by a special interest group. Institutes like these can carry out research related to groups’ public policy concerns. They may also try to educate lawmakers and the public about these issues. Some institutes like these may use their research to try to influence policy makers to adopt the group’s position on a particular policy issue.
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