Worksheet 12: Example

WORKSHEET 12: Estimating Issue Position, Power, and Priority for Each Player

Estimate and provide justification for the issue position, power and priority for each player listed on Worksheet #11:

Name of Player One: James French

Issue Position: +1 James French feels that the Teen Court is worth a try but fears that high school students may not be morally developed enough to make these decisions about other teens.

Power: 5 His power is high because, as District Attorney, his consent, with that of the judge, is necessary to create the court.

Priority: 1 His concern is with prosecuting all people who break the law, without partiality to any particular offenders.

Name of Player Two: Joyce Zeno

Issue Position: +4 Joyce Zeno believes the Teen Court would be a refreshing new way to attack the drug problem.

Power: 5 She has a lot of power because she is director of the bureau that would implement the program.

Priority: 3 She gives the issue high priority. She recently wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing the need for community concern on the issue.

Name of Player Three: K.Westcott

Issue Position: -2 K.Westcott opposes the proposal because she favors the traditional court system with stiffer penalties.

Power: 5 Her power is high because she allocates the funds for youth programs in New York State.

Priority: 1 Her priority is low because the Teen Court is only one of the many youth programs in the state with which she deals.

Name of Player Four: J.McGrath

Issue Position: -4 J.McGrath opposes the program because he feels teens will see this as just a way to avoid a jail sentence.

Power: 3 As police chief, McGrath has authority and influence in local government and the community and can indirectly affect the implementation of the Teen Court.

Priority: 3 He is concerned about the drug issue but has many other criminal issues with which to deal on his job.

Name of Player Five: Johanna Horton

Issue Position: 0 Johanna Horton's issue position is neutral because she thinks that the penalties might not be stiff enough, but she does ackowledge that teen courts have been successful in other communities.

Power: 5 The implementation of the program depends on her cooperation as she has final jurisdiction over the offenders.

Priority: 3 She gives some priority to the drug issue, but also is concerned with other lawbreakers.

Name of Player One:	James French
Issue Position:	+1	James French feels that the Teen Court is worth a try but fears that high school students may not be morally developed enough to make these decisions about other teens.
Power:	5	His power is high because, as District Attorney, his consent, with that of the judge, is necessary to create the court.
Priority:	1	His concern is with prosecuting all people who break the law, without partiality to any particular offenders.

Name of Player Two:	Joyce Zeno
Issue Position:	+4	Joyce Zeno believes the Teen Court would be a refreshing new way to attack the drug problem.
Power:	5	She has a lot of power because she is director of the bureau that would implement the program.
Priority:	3	She gives the issue high priority. She recently wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing the need for community concern on the issue.

Name of Player Three:	K.Westcott
Issue Position:	-2	K.Westcott opposes the proposal because she favors the traditional court system with stiffer penalties.
Power:	5	Her power is high because she allocates the funds for youth programs in New York State.
Priority:	1	Her priority is low because the Teen Court is only one of the many youth programs in the state with which she deals.

Name of Player Four:	J.McGrath
Issue Position:	-4	J.McGrath opposes the program because he feels teens will see this as just a way to avoid a jail sentence.
Power:	3	As police chief, McGrath has authority and influence in local government and the community and can indirectly affect the implementation of the Teen Court.
Priority:	3	He is concerned about the drug issue but has many other criminal issues with which to deal on his job.

Name of Player Five:	Johanna Horton
Issue Position:	0	Johanna Horton's issue position is neutral because she thinks that the penalties might not be stiff enough, but she does ackowledge that teen courts have been successful in other communities.
Power:	5	The implementation of the program depends on her cooperation as she has final jurisdiction over the offenders.
Priority:	3	She gives some priority to the drug issue, but also is concerned with other lawbreakers.