Problem Analogy
Analogy can also be useful in attacking the problem of overcrowded prisons. .
Analysts can think of many types of personal and policy-related analogy for , dealing with this issue. Two that may be useful are: (1) the regulatory and construction alternatives proposed for the control of stray dogs and other animals in many cities, and (2) disease control and treatment programs that focus on populations similar to those targeted by drug policies.
First, for the stray dog analogy, data are needed to compare the cost benefits of regulatory and construction alternatives. To reach a satisfactory definition of the problem, the analyst needs to correlate the animal control problem (stray dogs) with each alternative. For example, if data support a correlation between licensing and animal owner responsibility, the case can be made that the problem is regulatory. If most nuisances are caused by unlicensed animals, a direct attack on delinquent owners through a census, steep fines, and other such measures might be a worthy alternative to constructing a shelter or increasing staff hours to cope with increasing complaints (Lehan 1984, 76). That is, as in drug use and abuse, if owner motivation can be positively influenced, the animal nuisance situation may be altered at its roots, reducing dog impoundments and eliminating the need for a new pound (analogous to reducing jail overcrowding and eliminating the need for new jail construction) (Lehan 1984, 74). Using the analogy of licensing as a controlling variable for the animal problem, the benefits of modifying drug user behavior through treatment and fines and other penalties for failure to adhere to regulations could be explored.