A Brief History of Evidence-Based Policy

• Date: 01 July 2018
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716218763128
• Published date: 01 July 2018
• Author: Jon Baron
• Subject Matter: Background

40 ANNALS, AAPSS, 678, July 2018

DOI: 10.1177/0002716218763128

A Brief History

of Evidence-

Based Policy

By

JON BARON

763128ANN THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYA BRIEF HISTORY OF EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY

research-article2018

This article provides a brief history of evidence-based

policy, which it defines as encompassing (1) the appli-

cation of rigorous research methods, particularly rand-

omized controlled trials (RCTs), to build credible

evidence about “what works” to improve the human

condition; and (2) the use of such evidence to focus

public and private resources on effective interventions.

Evidence-based policy emerged first in medicine after

World War II, and has made tremendous contributions

to human health. In social policy, a few RCTs were

conducted before 1980, but the number grew rapidly in

U.S. welfare and employment programs during the

1980s and 1990s and had an important impact on gov-

ernment policy. Since 2000, evidence-based policy has

seen a major expansion in other social policy areas,

including education and international development

assistance. A recent milestone is the U.S. enactment of

“tiered evidence” social programs in which rigorous

evidence is the defining principle in awarding govern-

ment funding for interventions.

Keywords: evidence-based policy; evidence-based

medicine; social policy; randomized con-

trolled trial; welfare reform; tiered evi-

dence

Evidence-based policy, as I define it in this

article, encompasses two core elements: the

application of rigorous research methods, par-

ticularly randomized controlled trials (RCTs), to

build credible evidence about “what works” to

improve the human condition; and the use of

such evidence to focus public and private

resources on programs, practices, and treat-

ments (“interventions”) shown to be effective.

Jon Baron is vice president of evidence-based policy at

the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, a nonprofit

philanthropic foundation. He is also the founder and

former president of the nonprofit Coalition for

Evidence-Based Policy, which worked with federal

officials from 2001 to 2015 to advance evidence-based

reforms in government programs.

Correspondence: jbaron@arnoldfoundation.org