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5. Public Problems and Policy Alternatives

Exercises

1. Finding Information on Policy Issues
   
   Chapter 5 discusses a number of ways in which to find reliable information on a variety of policy issues. In this exercise, you will use a statistical site to evaluate policy issues.
   
   Go to the FedStats Web site, which offers state-level statistics on a range of topics.



• Select a state and click "Submit." First, study the demographic characteristics. What percentage of the population is older than 65? What percentage has a bachelor's degree or higher? What is the personal income per capita? Go to the top of the table and click on "Browse more data sets for [state name]." Click on the link for the "Crime" category. What was the total number of crimes reported? What about the number of murders? Calculate the percentage of crime using the population statistic at the bottom of the table. Return to FedStats, select another state, and examine the same information.





• Compare the two states you selected, based on the information you found. What issues appear to be particularly relevant for each of these states? What policy options would you suggest to help with these issues?

2. Working through Problems and Alternatives
   
   Chapter 5 discusses a number of ways policy analysts and policymakers look for creative solutions to policy problems. For instance, the chapter notes the rising problem of childhood obesity in the United States and some of the policy alternatives currently under consideration or in the works. This exercise will walk you through a variety of sites to help you explore this issue and examine some of the solutions developed to address the problem.
   
   Go to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (Overweight Prevalence)

    

   • What do the latest statistics say about obesity among children? What is the trend in these data?
     
   
   

   

   • Compare this data on childhood obesity with the information provided on adult obesity. Are the trends similar? Summarize the information.
   
   

   

   Now that you have some insight into the situation, what possible solutions are there to this problem? Using Google, conduct a search by typing in "childhood obesity government program" and see what options are available.
   
   
   • List three of these options.
   
   

   

   • Who is promoting each option and why?
   
   

   

   • Which of these solutions may require government action? Which of these options relies primarily on changes in personal lifestyle?
   
   

   

   To explore this issue further, check out what the Government Accountability Office has to say about childhood obesity. Summarize these findings.