Böcker av Malcolm K. Sparrow

How should we deal with societal ills such as crime, poverty, pollution, terrorism, and corruption? The Character of Harms argues that control or mitigation of 'bad' things involves distinctive patterns of thought and action which turn out to be broadly applicable across a range of human endeavors, and which need to be better understood. Malcolm Sparrow demonstrates that an explicit focus on the bads, rather than on the countervailing goods (safety, prosperity, environmental stewardship, etc.) can provide rich opportunities for surgically efficient and effective interventions - an operational approach which he terms 'the sabotage of harms'. The book explores the institutional arrangements and decision-frameworks necessary to support this emerging operational model. Written for reflective practitioners charged with risk-control responsibilities across the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, The Character of Harms makes a powerful case for a new approach to tackling the complex problems facing society.

Tackles one of the most pressing public policy issues of our time - the reform of regulatory and enforcement practice. Malcolm K. Sparrow shows how the vogue prescriptions for reform fail to take account of the distinctive character of regulatory responsibilities - which involve the delivery of obligations rather than just services.

In the fields of policing, environmental protection and tax administration, the traditional "enforcement" approach is under stress. In this book, the author examines similarities in the ways in which these professions are adapting to meet their current challenges.