Robin Kempf | John Jay College of Criminal Justice (original) (raw)

Papers by Robin Kempf

Offices of Inspectors General (OIGs), like other government accountability mechanisms, promise in... more Offices of Inspectors General (OIGs), like other government accountability mechanisms, promise increased control, improved performance, and appropriate behavior from governmental actors. OIGs do so by monitoring governmental programs and operations and providing their findings to legislative or executive decision makers and/or the public, who may act on the OIGs' findings and recommendations. OIGs have enjoyed a particular popularity in the United States in the last 40 years. In 1974, neither federal, state, nor local governments had adopted a single civilian OIG; however, at the end of 2013, there were 73 federal OIGs, 109 state OIGs, 47 local OIGs, and three multijurisdictional OIGs. Yet we know very little about why these OIGs are spreading, how they are designed, and what happens upon implementation. This dissertation advances a three-part thesis, supported by quantitative and qualitative data. First, OIGs are spreading from jurisdiction to jurisdiction because they are seen as the answer to the perceived problem of government accountability, defined very broadly. The idea of an OIG has become institutionalized, embodying the ideal of accountability. Second, although powerful political elites embrace this concept of an OIG, they push back against the potential implications of an OIG having too much independence or power by adopting design changes that sometimes leave an OIG in a weakened form. In other words, although the symbol of increased accountability is desirable, actual accountability often is suspect. Third, during implementation, those being overseen by the OIG often take steps to avoid or limit the OIG's oversight. In response, OIG personnel act in strategic ways to protect their agencies and the mission of accountability. As a result, OIGs become what I call "politicized bureaucracies," agencies that must engage in political maneuvering in order to effectively perform the duties they are assigned. I would also like to thank several people who helped shape this research in wonderful

Public Integrity, Nov 9, 2020

The American Review of Public Administration, Jun 27, 2018

The question of whether executive agencies can be subject to the control of politically elected l... more The question of whether executive agencies can be subject to the control of politically elected legislators has been answered affirmatively, but it remains an open question whether legislators can likewise design an agency to be able to resist such control and influence. This article examines whether the de jure elements established for the system of U.S. federal offices of inspectors general (OIGs) adequately guard their role as independent and objective monitors of the agencies they oversee, and are reflected in their de facto independence from political pressures in the OIGs' environments, operationalized as changes in the majority party in Congress, the presidency, and executive leadership. This research tests the self-reported outputs of 54 federal OIGs over a 10-and-a-half-year period to see if there are correlations between differences in inspector general (IG) appointment processes, OIGs' environmental changes, and fluctuations in OIG outputs. Furthermore, it examines whether these results vary depending on whether the OIGs are performing pre factum audits or post factum investigations. Analyses show that OIGs with IGs appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate are more productive than those appointed by agency heads. Furthermore, federal OIGs' productivity varies depending on who is president and with the OIGs' proximity to the president, although pre factum audits and post factum investigations do not demonstrate similar patterns. This article sheds light on issues of institutional design and suggests an implicit political nature of pre factum oversight. Implications for policy and practice in the area of government accountability are discussed.

strategies" (p. 43). Roberts briefly mentions that officials should be experts in institutions. F... more strategies" (p. 43). Roberts briefly mentions that officials should be experts in institutions. From this information, it is not a big leap for readers to infer that administrators are professionals trusted by leaders to do the best job possible and reprimanded for failure to meet expectations. Even so, there is a feeling of incompleteness, challenging intellectual puzzles still to be cracked. Roberts's book is a real bottomless well of research ideas ready to be pursued by scholars, especially junior ones. The book would also be useful for directors of graduate programs in PA interested in equipping students with the mindset and tools to address the big picture.

Journal of Public Affairs Education, Jun 1, 2016

two parties under certain conditions, which is confirmed by previous work and Groenendyk's own an... more two parties under certain conditions, which is confirmed by previous work and Groenendyk's own analyses. The book utilizes a multi-method approach here, demonstrating causal relationships via population-based survey experiments, and filling in inferential gaps with content-analyzed open-ended responses. By explicitly demonstrating the use of these strategies of rationalization through multiple methods, Groenendyk provides some of the strongest evidence to date for identity-motivated partisan bias. The second major contribution concerns the conditions under which such rationalization is possible. Groenendyk focuses on available cognitive resourcesthe possession of information necessary for defense and the working memory capacity needed to use that information. His theory provides deeper insight into why variables like age and political sophistication increase partisan bias (that is, they possess more information), and he experimentally demonstrates the necessity of available working memory for identity maintenance, and thus also the pressure that citizens feel to rationalize their partisanship through argumentation. But these results will ultimately give little comfort to those concerned about partisan biases in our polarized era; his work reinforces the hypothesis that the politically engaged will tend also to be the most closed-minded, and, despite the existence of accountability pressures, citizens have much room for rationalization in most cases. Groenendyk's book is an example of what political psychology looks like at its best: theoretically elegant, attuned to the realities of human cognition, and methodologically diverse. For students of mass politics, it is a must-read.

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Oct 14, 2017

Journal of Public Affairs Education

iii Acknowledgements iv Chapter One Introduction 1 Chapter Two Phase I: Conceptualization 40 Chap... more iii Acknowledgements iv Chapter One Introduction 1 Chapter Two Phase I: Conceptualization 40 Chapter Three Phase II: Design 83 Chapter Four Phase III: Implementation 128 Chapter Five Conclusion: Are OIGs Empty Symbols or Engines of Accountability? 180

The American Review of Public Administration, 2018

Trust is often touted as both an element of success and an outcome of interest in collaboration r... more Trust is often touted as both an element of success and an outcome of interest in collaboration research, usually without defining the term or acknowledging the possibility of collaborating when trust is diminished or absent. This article broadens our theoretical understanding of the concept of trust, and the ability to collaborate in the absence of trust, by looking at it through the lenses of conflict resolution, psychology, and law. The disciplines examined in this article emphasize diverse approaches to examining trust on the interpersonal, interorganizational, and regime levels. While agreeing that trust is an asset, these disciplines also offer practical strategies for collaborating when trust is diminished or absent. Drawing on the theory and literature of conflict resolution, psychology, and law, we offer the following definition of collaborative trust: Collaborative trust is an individual perception that is the product of one’s assessments, experiences, and dispositions, in...

International Journal of Public Administration, 2017

ABSTRACT Fraud, waste, and abuse damage public administration. Responding involves law enforcemen... more ABSTRACT Fraud, waste, and abuse damage public administration. Responding involves law enforcement and best practice administration. Many jurisdictions create watchdog agencies to perform this role. A model, which includes seven dimensions of jurisdiction and authority that policymakers should consider when creating an oversight entity, is presented. The model goes beyond the simple functional jurisdiction, i.e., who is overseen and how oversight occurs. Four subnational watchdog agencies in two countries are examined to demonstrate the trade-offs that occur in each dimension when the agencies are designed. This analysis demonstrates there are significant balancing issues at stake, which impact watchdog effectiveness.

Springer eBooks, 2021

SpringerBriefs in Criminology present concise summaries of cutting edge research across the field... more SpringerBriefs in Criminology present concise summaries of cutting edge research across the fields of Criminology and Criminal Justice. It publishes small but impactful volumes of between 50-125 pages, with a clearly defined focus. The series covers a broad range of Criminology research from experimental design and methods, to brief reports and regional studies, to policy-related applications. The scope of the series spans the whole field of Criminology and Criminal Justice, with an aim to be on the leading edge and continue to advance research. The series will be international and cross-disciplinary, including a broad array of topics, including juvenile delinquency, policing, crime prevention, terrorism research, crime and place, quantitative methods, experimental research in criminology, research design and analysis, forensic science, crime prevention, victimology, criminal justice systems, psychology of law, and explanations for criminal behavior.

SpringerBriefs in criminology, Nov 10, 2020

SpringerBriefs in Criminology, 2020