Essay - The Role of Risk Perceptions in Shaping Citizens' Government Policy...

The Role of Risk Perceptions in Shap*****g Citizens' Government Policy Preferences

***** perceptions of risks are relevant to the policy process. The degree of risk individuals assign ***** activities (e.g., cig*****tte smoking) or technologies (e.g., genetic modification ***** foods) involving possible harm helps shape their attitudes toward public ***** on such issues. Extensive literatures explain both the underlying causes of risk percepti***** per se and the determinants of assigning risk to particular activities, situations, or technologies. But relatively few studies account for how tho***** risk perceptions specifically influence preferences toward government policies designed to manage potential public health, personal safety, or ecological hazards.

This paper will examine the role risk ***** play in shaping citizens' policy preferences on three ***** ***** *****se very types ***** potential *****s: air pollution, crime, and hazardous waste storage and disposal. *****se issue areas were chosen for two key reasons. First, because these are ***** "routine" hazards it is likely that individuals have some d*****ree of familiarity with the substantive character of each *****. This allows us to see how citizens utilize perceived risk in mak*****g policy judgments on issues for which ********** ***** accumulated in*****mation or direct experience, in contrast to highly politically charged, but relatively atypical, hazards ***** might lack pri***** reference points. Second, this comparative issues approach allows ***** to examine the degree ***** which determinants of policy preferences on managing ***** potential ***** are contingent on the distinctive qualities of ***** issue.

***** case ***** regarding waste management *****

A recent court case in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals highlights ***** applicability of the formation of public ***** in environmental contamination *****s. On 26 April 2005, in Ross et al., v. United States. No. 04-6146, (10th Cir. 2005) LEXIS 7*****9, ***** Court affirmed the district court's ruling that ***** discretionary function exception to liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act shielded ***** United States from ***** for waste disposal practices at Tinker AFB. In district court, plaintiffs argued the Air Force was negligent and created a public and private nuisance when hazardous substances, ********** trichloroethylene (TCE), migrated in a plume from ***** AFB's l*****fill. Pla*****tiffs' argued the ***** Force failed to properly dispose of *****te, failed to stop the migration ***** *****, and issued untimely and inadequate warnings to local residents. In response, the United States filed a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, citing ***** discretionary function exception. The district court granted the motion ***** dismissed the case.

***** affirming the ***** court's opinion, the Court noted ***** the Air Force did not violate any mandatory statute and/or regulation and ***** Force's waste management decisions were grounded in public policy. If you are address*****g an ***** claim, the seven-point memorandum should address the ***** of the DFE. For more DFE in*****mation, see Aragon et al., v. United *****, 146 F.3d 819 (10th Cir. 1998). However, also take a look at and compare with Prescott v. United States, 973 F.2d 696 (9th Cir. 1992), which places the