Law as a policy instrument

Yehezkel Dror contends that law by itself can’t bring directed social change but it is one component of many policy instruments that must be used in combination. In the case of social problems like drug abuse, race relations, law can be used effectively as a policy instrument. But, sometimes in order to bring change law should be an ingredient of a larger policy (the Act of Economic Opportunity that attempted to decrease poverty in US). Usually law is used as an instrument of social change outside of a broader policy framework in reform oriented litigation, such as the restrictions of 1992 on abortion. But, broader issues concerning environmental or natural resources management issues should be reformed using broader policy making frameworks.