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Social Work 325 - Social Policy: Overview

Primary and secondary resources to research social policies

Three Main Kinds of Law (Policy)

  • Statutory law (bills, session laws, compiled statutes)
  • Regulatory law (regulations that a statutory law authorizes an executive government agency to write guide how to administer that law.
  • Judicial law (court cases)

We will mainly be covering statutory law today!

Policy Manuals

Federal and state agencies also write and issue policy manuals that incorporate the laws and regulations in various areas.  These policy manuals outline the day-to-day work activities that are required to carry out the laws and regulations in a given policy area. 

Non-for-profit social agencies may also write and issue policy manuals for their employees.  These policy manuals will also outline the day-to-day work activities that are required to carry out the laws and regulations in a given policy area. 

SEE the separate tab towards the end on Policy Manuals at the Workplace.

Illinois vs Federal sources

Session Laws - any law passed during a legislative session.

Illinois:  Laws of Illinois  (public acts)

Federal:  Statutes At Large  (public laws)

Codes or Compiled Statutes - summarize all of the laws on a topic that exist.

Illinois:  Illinois Compiled Statutes

Federal:  U.S. Code

Initial notice of proposed rules or regulations / Final notice of new rules or regulations:

Illinois:  Illinois Register

Federal:  Federal Register

Compilation of existing rules or regulations by the agencies:

Illinois:  Illinois Administrative Code

Federal:  Code of Federal Regulations

Court cases

  • Federal cases at District, Appellate and U.S. Supreme Court levels
  • State cases at Appellate and state "Supreme" Court levels. Local state county and circuit court cases are not reported, unless they are appealed.
  • See separate tab on Court Cases