Value Discretion in a People-Changing Environment: Taking the Long View

Authors

Stephanie Baker Collins, McMaster UniversityFollow

Keywords

Bureaucratic discretion, value discretion, workfare, case management

Abstract

This article explores the normative value judgements (called value discretion) made by Ontario Works income assistance case managers in their people-changing roles. The focus of case management under welfare reform has moved from determining eligibility for income assistance—people processing, to moving recipients from assistance to employment—people changing. The article outlines case managers’ pursuit of “the long view” in working with recipients over time moving from assessment to crisis work to meeting workfare requirements. In taking the long view case managers expose a basic contradiction in welfare reform that people changing does not result in the shortest route to a job.

Recommended Citation

Baker Collins, Stephanie (2016) "Value Discretion in a People-Changing Environment: Taking the Long View," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 43: Iss. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3326
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol43/iss2/5