Identifying Bias: An Area Plan Toolkit

Identifying Implicit and Explicit Bias in Jefferson County’s Comprehensive Master Plan: An Area Plan Toolkit

Student Researcher: Claire Byers 

Client: Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Division
 
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The purpose of this Capstone project is to develop a toolkit document that can be used internally by the client, Jefferson County Planning and Zoning staff, to ensure that Area Plan updates do not contain bias or lead to inequitable outcomes. This Capstone project will employ the toolkit to analyze the Jefferson County South Plains Area Plan for possible bias and inequitable outcomes. Background research and case studies, screening of the South Plains Area Plan utilizing the toolkit, and final recommendations address two categories of bias: content (what the area plan is saying), and word choice (how it is being said). Brief analysis and recommendations addressing bias in the community engagement process are also included in the full report in order to look at potential biases within the entire process from drafting to engagement to adoption of policy.