The Center for Public Policy (CPP) is dedicated to providing scientific,

non-biased data and analysis to public officials, business professionals,

community leaders and residents throughout Houston and the state of Texas.

Led by CPP Director Dr Jim Granato, the research orientation of the CPP is interdisciplinary with particular emphasis on unifying case-study, formal/mathematical modeling, and applied statistical/experimental approaches to any research question. For example, research work teams are being created to include faculty from a variety of disciplines and universities. These research clusters will focus on a diverse array of important public policy and academic issues while archiving data, conducting statistical analysis, using experiments and computer simulations, and developing working papers. The issue may be education, transportation, energy or a myriad of others but the approach will always use objective methods of analysis.

Are You a Player?

The Center for Public Policy Looks at Texas Lottery Players

The primary goal of the Center for Public Policy's (CPP) demographic study is to provide a snapshot of who is most likely to engage in the Texas Lottery games. To capture the demographics of both players and non-players, the CPP surveyed 1,702 Texas citizens between mid-September and early October of 2007. Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents participated in Texas Lottery games in the past year, a decrease of seven percentage points from the 2006 survey.

While there have been other surveys on the Texas Lottery, the Center's study differs in that the sample population included cell phone users. Traditionally, surveys include sample populations of people who rely mostly or solely on land lines in their homes. In this regard, the CPP survey is more inclusive and reflective of the general population. Read the report—

CPP Considers a Panel Study on Houston

The University of Houston Center for Public Policy (CPP) has received $130,000 in seed money from Houston Endowment to consider a way that better investigates the long-term economic, social and behavioral dynamics of the Houston region. National and local experts met on March 21-22, 2008 to discuss the intricacies of a Houston panel study.

Learn more—

CPP Analyzes Taser Use in Houston

The Center for Public Policy is part of an independent research group charged with the task of examining the non-medical consequences of Conductive Energy Devices (CEDs), commonly referred to as Tasers or stun guns, for the City of Houston. Commissioned by the office of City Controller Annise Parker, the CPP group (Jim Granato, Mark Jones, William Reed and Renee Cross) is conducting a statistical analysis. More—

CPP Research Institutes

Survey Research Institute

Institute for Regional Forecasting

CPP Research Partners

CPP Research Associates

The Center for Public Policy is committed to coordinating the best research teams possible.

Click here for more information about the CPP research associates.

CPP Brown Bag

In an effort to share ideas across disciplinary lines, UH professors and CPP research associates Elizabeth Rigby (Political Science) and Scott Imberman (Economics) lined up speakers to discuss a wide range of topics including electoral laws, taxation, physical activity and more during the spring 2008 semester.

Learn more.

CPP Speaker Series

The recently established CPP Speaker Series features scholars who are working on a book length or extended project to present an in-depth set of lectures at the University of Houston. Rather than using the traditional approach of one speaking engagement, the CPP Speaker Series will allow the scholar to meet with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty at UH and area universities and members of the Houston community at large through a series of discussions and lectures.

Check the Events page for future dates.