If information about the problems we face is elusive, fragmented, and disorganized, the picture of where we are and what we need to do will be murky. This will allow social policy-making to be shaped by the passions of the day and the politics of the moment rather than by rational analysis based on accurate, timely information. In a democracy, social reporting and social policy are closely linked. If information about the problems we face is elusive, fragmented, and disorganized, the picture of where we are and what we need to do will be murky. This will allow social policy-making to be shaped by the passions of the day and the politics of the moment rather than by rational analysis based on accurate, timely information.
Democracy is only as strong as the dialogue that people can conduct about current conditions.
The voice of that dialogue is only as strong as the knowledge that people and their representatives in government can apply to the understanding and solving of problems. If the public is regularly informed about the state s social performance, aware of both long-term trends and current conditions, more people may seek to be involved and to participate in serious discussions of social policy. Relevant information, clearly communicated and widely disseminated, can make the political process more genuinely democratic. And an informed citizenry, with usable knowledge of current social conditions, can only enhance local and statewide efforts to plan for the future and alleviate social problems. While the public s need for timely social information is great, the nation s social reporting remains underdeveloped.