Citation

Tunstall AM, Weible CM, Tomsich EA, Gover AR. Soc. Policy Admn. 2016; 50(5): 580-598.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/spol.12136

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines the perceived conditions leading to Colorado adopting revised Standards for treating domestic violence offenders from the perspective of Kingdon's multiple streams theory. A within-case analysis of ten semi-structured interviews explores the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board in Colorado's process for revising Colorado's 2001 Treatment Standards.

FINDINGS suggest a benign political stream, supported by technically feasible and value-accepted policy ideas, feedback and indicators of the problem, promoted a favourable setting for change. At least two policy entrepreneurs championed the decision-making process. Agenda setting and policy formulation depended on three elements: feedback from existing programmes, indicators of continued difficulty in effectively treating offenders, and the existence of a suitable policy alternative. This study contributes a rare application of multiple streams theory to a criminal justice context in a sub-national government. Future research should explore whether the presence of a benign political stream influences the development and revision of domestic violence policy in other policy environments.

Language: en