Issues associated with gender and incarceration
Issues associated with gender and incarceration
How to Write a Briefing Paper
A briefing paper outlines a particular issue and its background, usually for a government official or other policy maker.
These decision-makers have to make hard choices about many different topics every day, and they do not have time to research each one in-depth. A briefing paper helps bring a single issue to someone’s attention and fills in key details she or he needs to know.
It then proposes solutions and recommends improvements.
Knowing how to write a briefing paper is a useful skill for students, business professionals, politicians and community activists.
A persuasive briefing paper is concise, well-organized and covers the most important and relevant facts and solutions.
IMPORTANT*Your policy briefs should include these sections:
Title:A good title quickly communicates the contents of the brief in a memorable way.
Executive Summary:This section is often one to two paragraphs long; it includes an overview of the problem and the proposed policy action.
Context or Scope of Problem:This section communicates the importance of the problem and aims to convince the reader of the necessity of policy action.
Policy Alternatives:This section discusses the current policy approach and explains proposed options. It should be fair and accurate while convincing the reader why the policy action proposed in the brief is the most desirable.
Policy Recommendations:This section contains the most detailed explanation of the concrete steps to be taken to address the policy issue.
Appendices:If some readers might need further support in order to accept your argument but doing so in the brief itself might derail the conversation for other readers, you might include the extra information in an appendix.
Consulted or Recommended Sources:These should be reliable sources that you have used throughout your brief to guide your policy discussion and recommendations.
Issues associated with gender and incarceration