Notes on the Use of Statistics in Social Administration

T>HESE NOTES are primarily concerned with the manner and | extent to which statistical surveys can be used in social administ tration. They concentrate on the ways in which the social services may be brought into action, the aim being to analyse the form of such procedures in terms of a series of categories, each representing one component of the total process. This analysis is made in general terms, because it seetned important to be able to apply a common approach to the study of any of the Social Services; examples, however, are drawn from a wide variety of sources. It should be emphasized that these notes contain only a tentative exploration of research methodology in this field; it is hoped, however, that they may be of value in assisting the development of statistical research in social administration. The aspects of social and political life studied under the title of Social Administration were authoritatively delimited in Professor Titmuss' inaugural lecture:l 'On the one hand then, we are interested in the machinery of administration which organizes and dispenses various forms of social assistance; on the other, in the lives, the needs, and the mutual relations of those members of the community for whom the services are provided by reason of their belonging to that community.' In short any study must be concerned with one or both of two fundamental issues: first, the ascertainment of need; second, the nature and quality of administration. The third important topic, the extent to which need is satisfied is, methodologically, essentially the same as the first, the ascertainment of need, but involves comparisons 'before and after' assistance has been given. Five years after Professor Titmuss' lecture one might add that possibly the most interesting development of the subject has been in studies which have attempted to link these two interests, and a fair number of examples can now be cited: Early Leaving,2 Deprived Children,3 the work

Administration (probate law · Criminology · Political science · Regional science · Social science · Sociology · Italian Social Issues and Migration · Law · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Social Sciences and Governance

• Social Case-Work in Great Britain

  Charles T O''Reilly, Charles T O'Reilly et al.•The American Catholic Sociological…•1951

  Add to list