IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY ON HANDLING VAGRANTS AND BEGGARS AT THE SOCIAL AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GORONTALO CITY

Abstract

This descriptive qualitative research analyzes the effectiveness of policy implementation on handling vagrants and beggars at the Social Affairs and Community Empowerment Office of Gorontalo City. Four indicators from George C. Edward III's policy implementation theory—communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure—are employed as the analytical framework. Field data obtained through observation, interviews, and documentation were systematically analyzed using the data condensation, display, and conclusion drawing model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana. The findings indicate that the policy implementation on handling vagrants and beggars at the Social Affairs and Community Empowerment Office of Gorontalo City has been running fairly well but has not yet been optimal. In the communication aspect, coordination among implementers has been functioning well; however, information dissemination to target groups and the general public remains suboptimal. In the resources aspect, policy implementation has been supported by human resources, authority, and facilities, yet is still constrained by limited personnel and underutilized facilities and databases. In the disposition aspect, officials demonstrate commitment, responsibility, and a professional attitude in implementing the policy; however, guidance programs have not been able to reach all vagrants and beggars on a sustainable basis. In the bureaucratic structure aspect, policy implementation has been supported by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), clear task distribution, and inter-division coordination; nevertheless, SOP implementation in the field still needs optimization to ensure services reach all target groups. Based on these findings, the Social Affairs and Community Empowerment Office of Gorontalo City needs to enhance communication and socialization to target groups, strengthen human resources and supporting facilities, optimize guidance and empowerment programs, and improve inter-agency coordination so that the policy implementation on handling vagrants and beggars can be more effective in improving social welfare.