Real-Life Decision Making
Do you know the difference between reaching group decisions through a majority
vote and making decisions through consensus?
Let's look for an example that will explain it. Can you recall an occasion
when your friends had trouble deciding what to do on a Saturday night? Perhaps
three of you wanted to go to a movie and one wanted to go to a party. The
majority vote favors the movie. However, one person will be unhappy, and perhaps
hurt and angry with this decision.
Do you continue discussing things until you find an activity or a compromise
that everyone agrees to, or do you go to the movie because the majority prefer
the movie?
If the group discusses things until they come up with a plan that leaves
everyone satisfied, then you have consensus.
Criminologists face these decisions frequently.
You are planning to recommend a new program that your research has shown
will serve the community well. This program will affect many groups, including
the police, the sheriff's office, the victim services program and a local
community citizen's group.
All of these groups have agreed to support the recommendation, except the
sheriff. He is on vacation for a month and can't be reached. Your report
is all ready to go and you would like to present it to local government at
a meeting next week.
If you wait for the sheriff to return, it will be at least three months
before you can present your report again. You don't want to wait so long.
You are almost certain the sheriff will agree with the recommendation.
What do you do?