EFFECTIVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: PUBLIC SEARCH FOR "DEMOCRATIC EFFICIENCY"

The question of how to achieve the democratic goals of public participation without resorting to a process that is cumbersome, frustrating, and costly to communities and public agencies is examined. The concept of "democratic efficiency"--the ratio of citizen satisfaction with planning outcomes to public participation resources "spent" in the planning process--is proposed as an aid in the design of public participation programs that are both democratic and efficient. Simple dichotomies that describe the critical trade-offs between democracy and process efficiency are used, and strategies, interaction techniques, organizational devices, and support resources that have high potential for achieving effective participation are suggested. Substantial gains in democratic efficiency can be achieved through staff training, technical assistance for community groups, meeting preparation, and public participation in the design of the citizen-particippation process itself. Several promising interaction techniques that are not now widely used are identified for further research and development. These are citizen juries, assemblies to integrate subarea and areawide transportation planning, and other structured interaction techniques. (Author) conditions or costs associated with public safety. (Author)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1980/747/747-018.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECTIVE+CITIZEN+PARTICIPATION%3A+PUBLIC+SEARCH+FOR+%22DEMOCRATIC+EFFICIENCY%22&author=R.+Yukubousky&publication_year=1980
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Citizen Participation in Transportation Planning. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Yukubousky, Richard
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 88-93
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 747
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Cooperation; Districts and authorities; Economic efficiency; Government agencies; Optimization; Public participation; Transportation planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Interaction
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319392
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 27 1980 12:00AM