Implementing Racial and Social Justice Policies: A Qualitative Study of Three Local U.S. Jurisdictions

Processes for implementing racial equity and social justice (RESJ) policies are not well understood, despite their growing adoption across local governments. To address this gap, this qualitative study examines how practitioners navigate the day-to-day work of translating RESJ policy mandates into practice and the institutional, political, and organizational conditions shaping implementation across three jurisdictions in a large U.S. metropolitan area.

We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 practitioners involved in RESJ policy implementation and identified through purposive sampling between June and November 2023. Interviews explored participants' experiences with policy interpretation, community and stakeholder engagement, organizational capacity, accountability, and perceived policy impact. Data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis.

Six themes and 14 subthemes were identified. The themes characterized participants' experiences with interpreting and operationalizing policy mandates; organizational capacity and resource constraints; data infrastructure and practices; formal and relational accountability and oversight; emotional and ethical challenges; and political durability and risk. The findings illuminated key barriers and facilitators shaping policy adoption, acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and sustainment, highlighting critical leverage points within RESJ policy implementation processes.

These insights underscore the need for greater institutional capacity, explicit and transparent accountability mechanisms, and sustained political and material support to strengthen RESJ policy implementation. Amid recent retrenchment of equity-focused policies, these findings provide guidance for policymakers and administrators seeking to design, implement, and sustain equity policies within local government systems.