Government Operational Research Service

Analysis that matters

Saul Thorne23rd November 2005

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Contents of this presentation

1. Background

2. What is GORS?

3. What is working for GORS like?

4. Summary

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Contents of this presentation

1. Background

2. What is GORS?

3. What is working for GORS like?

4. Summary

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A brief history of Saul

• BSc Mathematics from Cardiff University

• Sandwich year working for HM Customs & Excise in an OR team

• MSc Management Science & Operational Research from Warwick University

• Joined GORS June 2005, working for the Home Office

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Contents of this presentation

1. Background

2. What is GORS?

3. What is working for GORS like?

4. Summary

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What is GORS and what does it do?

• GORS is an umbrella body for Operational Research specialists from a range of different government departments.

• GORS recruits and supports OR analysts across Government and promotes the benefits of analysis in general and OR in particular within Government

• OR in government involves using analysis and modelling to try to improve decision making and policy making across government

• As a result, most of the work that GORS does has a strong ethical basis

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GORS consists of seventeen different government departments

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GORS staff work in a range of locations

London

Liverpool &

Manchester

LeedsOther

SheffieldManchester

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Staff in GORS have good career prospects

• GORS is the biggest employer of OR staff in the UK• Currently around 350 members• Recruit around 50 per year

• Moves to OR groups in other government departments are common

• Career progression in most departments is fluid and based on competency

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Within each department, OR staff perform a range of functions

For example, in the Home Office:

• Forecasting the prison population

• Predicting the effects of crime-reduction interventions

• Examining what behaviour leads to re-offending

• Modelling the Criminal Justice System

• Forecasting demand for passports and work permits

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Contents of this presentation

1. Background

2. What is GORS?

3. What is working for GORS like?

4. Summary

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Since joining, my work has been varied and interesting

• Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime

• Building an application to estimate police restructuring costs

• These projects used a range of different skills

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Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime

Citizenship Survey

Social Capital

British Crime Survey

Fear of CrimeIntuitive Links

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Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime

Citizenship Survey

Social Capital

Predict usingDemographic variables

British Crime Survey

Fear of Crime

Predict usingDemographic variables

Link models

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Actual Links

Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime

Social Capital Fear of Crime?

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Building an application that estimates police force restructuring costs

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These projects represent very different ways of working

1. Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime

• We have data – but what can we do with it?• Exploratory• No clear start and finish to the project

2. Building an application to estimate police restructuring costs

• The client needs a tool but lacks the expertise and resources to build it• High-level project• Strict deadlines

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Contents of this presentation

1. Background

2. What is GORS?

3. What is working for GORS like?

4. Summary

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To summarise:

• GORS staff work in a range of departments, locations and positions

• GORS recruits have good career prospects with opportunities for movement between departments

• Work for GORS is varied, interesting and challenging

• Strong emphasis is placed on training and personal development

• The other GORS members that I have worked with are very supportive and sociable

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Or visit our website for more details

www.operational-research.gov.uk