Why it is required to raise an Issue In Corrections during policy making ?

This assignment aims to convince the target audience, the Premier of the state of your choice (eg Queensland, NSW, etc), of the importance of an issue in corrections and why it requires action.

Please note: 

The issue you write about in this brief will follow on from the issue you discussed in Assignment 2: Executive summary. 

The policy brief

A policy brief is a form of report designed to facilitate policy-making. The main purpose is to evaluate policy options regarding a specific issue in order for practical decisions to be made about the issue, so the brief should provide evidence and actionable recommendations.

It will include a brief description of the issue, a short overview of the historical context, causes and principles debates and critical issues, and a clear statement of the implications as they relate to the current policy of your chosen state. The brief will outline multiple (2 or 3) suggested policies that address the issue that has been selected, and conclude with which of policies you would recommend to the Premier.

The task

You are required to prepare a policy brief that presents the findings and recommendations of a specific issue in corrections, to a non-specialised audience. The brief is a medium for exploring a single issue and distilling lessons learned from the research and for providing policy advice.

Having a clear and specific purpose or focus

A policy brief should have a particular audience in mind; the Premier of your chosen state. It is important to keep this audience in mind when evaluating what information needs to be included in the brief.

• What do they know about the issue already?
• What new information would provide insight to the issue?
• The brief should be limited to one issue or problem.

  Be practical and support your ideas with evidence

  A policy brief aims to be persuasive and a big part of convincing the target audience of your key message is supporting your ideas with evidence. Evidence should be used to indicate that there is an issue with existing policy and to make recommendations. A policy brief is a practical tool that has real-world implications.

  Be accessible and succinct

  A policy brief uses language that is familiar to the target audience in a clear and simple manner (but not conversational). It should also be logical and be easy to follow. The assumption should be made that the target audience does not have time to read a lot of text, so the brief should be formatted clearly with descriptive headings.