Public Policy Center > Group D
Group D: Developing Sustainable And Just Communities
Policy Issue Brief: “Developing Sustainable and Just Communities” (PDF)
by Katherine Irwin & James Spencer
Members:
Vernon Char
Brent Dillabaugh
Richard Dubanoski
Eric Enos
Judith Inazu
Jon Matsuoka
Lynn Maunakea
James Spencer
Ramsay Taum
Facilitator: Betty Ching
Summary of Work Sessions:
Session I. Preferred Futures and Public Policy Strategies
This session focused on how individuals, communities and institutions that work with disenfranchised groups think about public policy and its impact on residents of poor communities. In particular, the discussion uncovered the feeling of a deep disconnect between policy makers and the issues of concern for those working in the fields of community development, unemployment and criminal justice. The everyday realities of poor education, lack of viable job opportunities and incarceration, according to participants, seemed far from the bureaucracies empowered to set regulation and allocate resources to develop community-based economic opportunities and the practices for re-integrating those in the criminal justice system back into communities. Because of this gap between policy and the lived experience of communities, the group suggested that greater attention needed to be paid to how policy makers learn about critical issues as well as how public policy is made relevant to community residents and others generally unfamiliar with how public policy is formulated, debated and implemented. More detailed notes on participant input (PDF)
Session II. Public Policies and Recommendations/ Next Steps
The session opened up the issue of how better to connect disenfranchised communities to the decision-making process inherent in public policy. The conversation ranged from advocacy of particular policies to a wholesale restructuring of the way that public policy is formulated. In particular, some participants advocated an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to support the working poor and increase savings among disadvantaged communities, while others called for a shift of policy investment from incarceration to education. However, the greatest consensus was achieved within the group on the need to develop and improve the general dialogue between disenfranchised groups and the policy formulation and implementation process. Participants generally agreed that improving this link was essential for developing just and sustainable policies. However, they also agreed that reducing the policy-community gap would take a long-term, concerted effort and require significant organizing, educational and research skills. The group ended the session agreeing that – though this key challenge was daunting - a set of institutions and individuals would need to step into that role if future public policies in Hawai’i were to serve all of its residents. More detailed notes on participant input (PDF)
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