Governance

Abt’s research, implementation, evaluation, and technical assistance expertise advances meaningful change across the U.S. justice system. With expertise in criminology, sociology survey methodology, computer science, and public health, we approach criminal and juvenile justice system challenges and reforms holistically, considering the intersections with equity, health, housing, and social justice policy. Our team’s robust portfolio of research and data analysis, rigorous mixed-methods evaluations, technical assistance, and training spans the justice process from community-based prevention through reentry and community supervision. This broad view enables us to provide data-informed insights and support for federal and state agencies, service providers, and communities as they face their most pressing justice issues. 

Effective sustainable development requires local solutions to local problems. Abt applies a political economy lens to all our programs to understand how incentives and motivations interact with rules and structures affect power dynamics, resource distribution, and information asymmetry—and which interests are at stake. We then use an equity lens to ensure representation of all interests in the process of articulating problems and identifying solutions that are politically feasible and technically appropriate. Through our commitment to localization, we team with local actors so our shared contextual knowledge informs our understanding of the coalitions or networks that can shape or advance policy and institutional reform (or block them). We also use system-aware, contextually appropriate approaches to design, implement, and monitor our programs to achieve better results for everyone. 

Abt teams with governments around the world to develop sustainable service delivery through better management of the public sector and public finance. Our systems- and evidence-based approaches—refined in partnership with government, service providers, and communities—facilitate mutual goals in public management. By fostering trade and investment-friendly environments, we help set the stage for sustainable economic growth. We increase transparency and accountability in public institutions by facilitating e-governance and digital platforms. Throughout, we promote equity through inclusive stakeholder engagement and targeted training around gender equality, disability equity, and social inclusion. 

In fragile and conflict-affected states, Abt navigates complex development and humanitarian challenges to support people on the frontlines and to develop conditions for sustainable peace and security. We start by analyzing and engaging with political settlements to understand the power dynamics and to identify politically feasible opportunities for change. Our established approaches include political economy analysis (PEA), gender-sensitive conflict analysis and adaptive management to understand the structural drivers of conflict and violence. We engage power brokers, including non-traditional actors, to facilitate coalitions with similar interests, to broker peace agreements and to initiate state building. Where conflict prevention isn’t possible, we use conflict resolution techniques and war damage assessments to stimulate and stabilize economic sectors, streamline supply chain management, to foster civilian peacebuilding and to improve evidence-informed decision-making as nations transition out of conflict. 

As countries decentralize their systems and service delivery, Abt Global has a fruitful legacy of partnering with sub-national governments and communities to strengthen transparency, citizen engagement, and local governance. Our experts build capacity and responsiveness at all levels to support the political, administrative, and economic processes of decentralized government. We support the building of bridges between civil society and government for a collaborative model of governance. Abt’s insights support evidence-informed policymaking that responds to challenges in health, environment, and economic development. Equity is central to our approach, and working within a decentralized system means understanding the nuances of local decision-making to better serve disadvantaged populations.