G overnment O perational R esearch S ervice Analysis that matters

1. Government Operational Research ServiceAnalysis that matters Saul Thorne 23rd November 2005

2. Contents of this presentation • Background • What is GORS? • What is working for GORS like? • Summary

3. Contents of this presentation • Background • What is GORS? • What is working for GORS like? • Summary

4. 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

5. Contents of this presentation • Background • What is GORS? • What is working for GORS like? • Summary

6. 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

7. GORS consists of seventeen different government departments

8. Manchester London Sheffield Leeds Other GORS staff work in a range of locations Liverpool & Manchester

9. 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

10. 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

11. Contents of this presentation • Background • What is GORS? • What is working for GORS like? • Summary

12. 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

13. Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime British Crime Survey Citizenship Survey Fear of Crime Social Capital Intuitive Links

14. Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime British Crime Survey Citizenship Survey Fear of Crime Social Capital Predict using Demographic variables Predict using Demographic variables Link models

15. Investigating the links between social capital and fear of crime ? Fear of Crime Social Capital Actual Links

16. Building an application that estimates police force restructuring costs

17. 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

18. Contents of this presentation • Background • What is GORS? • What is working for GORS like? • Summary

19. 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

20. Or visit our website for more details www.operational-research.gov.uk