State Policy on Pew's Radar: Maximizing Government Performance

The Pew Center on the States runs three initiatives aimed at maximizing government performance.The Public Safety Performance Project advances fiscally sound, data-driven corrections policies that protect public safety. The Government Performance Project ensures governments are managed as efficiently and effectively as possible. Pew's Election Initiatives work to foster an elections system that achieves the highest standards of cost-effectiveness, accuracy and efficiency.

In 2010, Pew will continue to monitor movement on these issues, which should reshape the role of state government. Here are some states that have played a key role in these areas of interest.

Public Safety Performance Project

Illinois has enacted legislative and administrative reforms aimed at reducing crime, holding offenders accountable and controlling costs The Crime Reduction Act will assess public safety risks posed by most prisoners, expand corrections options for low-level, nonviolent offenders and create incentives for local jurisdictions to increase the success rate of probationers and parolees. The state is also supervising 1,000 nonviolent offenders in the community using electronic monitoring devices.

The Government Performance Project 

The Virginia Performs state performance accountability system was launched to closely monitor state agencies’ progress toward their goals. Established by former governor Mark Warner and expanded by his successor, Tim Kaine, both Democrats, the program has created a culture of evidence-based decision-making that allows Virginia’s leaders to systematically tackle the state’s budget crisis and increase agency productivity.

Pew's Election Initiatives

Several states took action in 2009 to improve the performance of their election systems in advance of the 2010 elections. Virginia hosted a cutting-edge information "gadget" on its Web site to assist voters with their questions. Arizona and Washington are among nine states that unveiled online voter registration systems that helped citizens register more efficiently. Delaware instituted "e-signature" technology that dramatically cut the personnel costs for its state voter registration system. Minnesota overhauled its system for military and overseas voting, resulting in an increase in valid ballots from Americans voting from abroad.

Return to State of the States 2010. 

Read more about state policy on Pew's radar.

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February 11, 2010 -
State of the States 2010: How the Recession Might Change States (Adobe PDF)