Policy research under pressure: the case of the Ministry of Justice in the Netherlands

In policy research, the search for the correct balance between proximity and independence has never been easy. Policymakers need proximity to the research in order to ensure that it is relevant. Yet, there are also concerns about the rigour of research. To analyze this relationship in more detail, t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of European public policy 2022-03, Vol.29 (3), p.468-489
Main Authors: de Graaf, Gjalt, Hertogh, Marc
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Criminal justice policy
Evidence-based policymaking
Independence
Influence
Policy analysis
Policy making
policy research
Proximity
Research methodology
Rigour
undue influence
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Summary:In policy research, the search for the correct balance between proximity and independence has never been easy. Policymakers need proximity to the research in order to ensure that it is relevant. Yet, there are also concerns about the rigour of research. To analyze this relationship in more detail, this paper focuses on the 'extreme case' of the WODC in the Netherlands, an internal but formally independent research unit of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security. Research methods include semi-structured interviews and a survey (N = 673). We conclude that government leans on WODC researchers in all phases of the policy research process. In most cases, WODC researchers successfully resist pressure from policymakers, yet continuing pressure may easily lead to research methods, conclusions and press releases being altered for policy reasons. Finally, there are general lessons drawn from the WODC case that will assist in achieving a good balance between proximity and independence in policy research.
ISSN:1350-1763
1466-4429
DOI:10.1080/13501763.2020.1839535