Making a difference. A user's view on the impact of research in improving equality and human rights.

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Making a difference.A user's view on the impact
of research in improving equality and human
rights.

• Dr. Marc Verlot
• Foresight Director
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• marc.verlot_at_equalityhumanrights.com

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My take on the matter

• Research is essential to make a tangible and
  lasting difference on equality and human rights
• Good communication of findings necessary but by
  no means sufficient
• Need to set out what impact it aspires (and why)
• Has consequences for framing for the research
  questions, research programming and planning of
  research units and funders

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My perspective

• Funder and user of research to build an objective
  evidence base
• Working for a regulator appropriate,
  proportionate and effective interventions in
  public and private sector
• To eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality,
  protect human rights and build good relations to
  ensure that everyone has a fair chance to
  participate in society.

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Content

• What is impact ?
• How does the EHRC see impact ?
• Case study Stop and Think
• Points for discussion

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What is Impact

• Musings from the RSA
• Matthew Taylor blogs
• Common worries causation and time lag
• Reach, Engagement, Involvement, Transformation
• Makes sense, easily applicable
• Risks running out of steam towards Transformation
• Need to see it as a climbing a ladder what goes
  up, must come down.

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Impact in the EHRC

• Piloting an approach
• Seeks a 5 year horizon and works back to 3 and 1
  years
• Includes social impact, institutional outcomes,
  input and resources

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Issue - problem Intended Impact on society Intended policy/practice outcomes by institutions Actions by institutions EHRC regulatory activity EHRC resources and skills required
5 years ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
3 years ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
1 year ? ? ? ?
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Causal impact approach
Specification of risk/problem and initial
assessment
NB an initial broad assessment of costs,
benefits, and public interest is required for
the initial assessment
Impact assessment for final option appraisal and
evaluation
Key component or driver
Promising approaches
Changes needed from institutions
Regulatory approach by EHRC
Alert of problem or risk
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Problem- Aim -Impact

• Problem
• Ethnic minorities stopped and searched much more
  by the police (Pace code A, excludes
  antiterrorism SS powers) approx. 1 million SS
  a year !
• High disproportionality indicates contravening
  equality and human rights legislation and
  damaging good relations.
• Aim of project ensure police use SS powers
  proportionally and effectively to all - change
  underlying stereotyping towards ethnic minorities
• Intended impact police forces are able to
  evidence and communicate effective use of SS
  and/or reduce ethnic minority disprop.
  substantially in line with best practice outcomes

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Trends over time inDisproportionality ratios
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Whats happened?

• 1984 SS power introduced
• c.1990 concerns raised in Parliament
• 1997/8 official SS figures confirm disprop.
  blackwhite 7.31 and Asianwhite 2.41
• 1999 Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report puts S
  problem on political agenda first Gov. action
  plan - 1998/99  bw 5.91 and Aw 2.11
• 2001 Policing within the scope of the RRA
  2001/2  bw 6.61 and Aw 2.11
• 2002 Home Office sets up S S Delivery Board
  and Action Team as figures got worse 2002/3 bw
  8.21 and Aw 2.71.
• 2003 CRE starts FI on police employment
  -'Secret Policeman' broadcasted

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Whats happened? - 2

• 2005 CRE concludes FI and serves police forces
  compliance notices.
• 2007 Pilots show decline in disprop.
• 2009 Next Steps launched -uptake limited.
• 2010 Stop Think published
• 2011 EHRC signs binding agreements with 2 forces
  and monitors 3 forces closely.
• Early results 2011- small drop but within margin
  of error)

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Whos done what?
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Where are the gaps?

• Good practice examples where decreasing SS rates
  go hand in hand with effective crime reduction
• Examples of effective communication between
  police and community groups to support focussed
  SS actions
• An overall plan to transfer learning to all
  forces
• Non political leadership to see through emerging
  change EHRC in collaboration with ACPO?
• Ownership by HO Sec of State

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What are the opportunities and risks?

• Opportunities
• The Next Steps change programme provides if
  continued and evaluated an excellent vehicle to
  transfer learning to all police forces
• Collaborating with UKSA inspectorate to ensure
  fair SS at borders
• Stop and Think can provide operational inroads
  into the police to develop collaborative work in
  other areas such as rape rates
• Risks
• Discourse around cutting red tape is being used
  to question need for rigorous monitoring and
  working with targets to reduce disproportionality
• The removal of the Commissions good relations
  mandate could narrow the Commissions scope and
  leave out the fundamental issue of tackling
  racial stereotyping within the police

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What was essential, what can we learn ? - 1

• External
• Availability of long term core data crucial
• Cooperate first allegiances and credibility.
• Influence environment (leadership) and build on
  drivers e.g. attitudinal change
• Internal organisation
• Build up expertise and provide continuity quick
  fixes dont always work with discrimination -
  because it is systemic, stupid ! to paraphrase

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What was essential, what can we learn ? - 2

• Gather diverse team with complementary skills
  matrix working and end-to-end regulation
• Team leader to set out direction, co-ordinate all
  strengths, and ensure we punch above our weight
  as we downsize.
• SMT lead acting as internal advocate
• Approach
• Aim to win the war, not the battle commit to the
  long haul and follow through.
• Draw on all levers EU, UN as well as domestic
  legislation.
• Try direct and indirect approaches tackle the
  context tackle the issue tackle for all tackle
  for 1.

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What was essential, what can we learn ? - 3

• Master strengths and weaknesses of evidence base
  thoroughly - tackle head on.
• Combine data, research, theory and promising
  practice.
• Draw in best academics and lawyers and work with
  them.
• Try out approaches, step back, try something
  else, take risks, be creative.
• Compare performance and challenge differences .

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Unfair use of SS powers by police towards Black and Asian population Intended Impact on society Policy/practice change required by institutions Impact EHRC expected to have on institution EHRC regulatory activity EHRC resources and skills required
5 years Significantly improved trust and/or sense of fair treatment by police from Black and Asian population (BCS data static ally relevant) ? ? Majority of police (60-70) forces SS disprop is lowest average of their family (baseline MoJ 2010) Or have significantly increased SS effectiveness ( higher conviction rate and crime reduction) ? ? SS is standard item on political Home Office agenda and change programme is actively promoted and overseen by ACPO Effectiveness data are published along disprop. data ? ? monitoring progress and publicising outcomes with key agencies and general public Publication of revised Stop and Think setting out achievements and future expectations ? ? 0.2FT staff to monitor progress, 0.1 L5 oversight (Q1-Q4) Regular press releases and briefings small team (4x0.3 Q3) for preparation and publication ?
3 years Emerging national improvement in trust and/or sense of fair treatment by police from Black and Asian population (BCS data) ? ? 30 of police forces SS disprop. is lowest average of their family (baseline MoJ 2010) Or have increased SS effectiveness ( higher conviction rate and crime reduction evaluation and widespread distribution of promising approaches ? ? HO takes political leadership of SS improvement Stop and search improvement programme is delivered by NPIA and ACPO to all remaining forces Effectiveness data are published along disprop. data ? ? monitoring progress and publicising outcomes with key agencies and general public Publication of revised Stop and Think setting out achievements and short term expectations ? ? 0.5FT staff to monitor progress, 0.1 L5 oversight (Q1-Q4) Regular press releases and briefings small team (4x0.3 Q3) for preparation and publication ?
1 year Indications of impact of adapted SS policies by 5 police forces on Black , Asian and overall local populations sense of fairness and trust ? 5 police forces achieve lowest average of their family (baseline MoJ 2010) or have increased SS effectiveness (higher conviction rate and crime reduction) Evaluation and Input of promising local approaches in Next Steps programme ? Senior leaders of 5 forces owe SS change, publicise and communicate changes locally and with NPIA, ACPO and HO Identification of promising approaches HO secures long term budget for Next steps change programme ? monitoring progress and publicising outcomes with key agencies and general public Develop contacts with Next steps programme Lobby for long term provision of Next steps with HO and ministers ? 0.5FT staff to monitor progress, 0.1 L5 oversight (Q1-Q4) Regular press releases and briefings SMT/involvement for lobby work3 Q3) for preparation and publication
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Turning assumptions into verifiable hypotheses
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The influence of research

• At the level of input
• Data analysis
• Critical framing of the issues
• Theorisation different angles
• At the level of application
• Provided critical summary of insights
• Provided technical expertise
• Provided consultancy
• At the level of follow up
• Link between institutional change and societal
  impact
• What is missing? scrutiny role, evaluation

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Points for discussion- Research

• Situate your research socially, economically,
  institutionally, ...
• Think through the difference your research can
  make
• Sharpen your research questions
• Spell out what your ambitions are in terms of
  impact dont be shy
• Avoid turning this into a bureaucratic exercise
  at all cost

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Points for discussion - Management

• Outreach too often a limited after thought
• Provide examples of where the research group made
  a difference, why and how
• Build consultation with potential users into
  resourcing and timing
• Explore options for follow through early on