Citizen-participation process can help to transcend the barriers to effective policy. Informed and involved citizens become citizen-experts, understanding technically difficult situations and seeing holistic, communitywide solutions. Pateman (1970), Sabatier (1988), and Blackburn and Bruce(1995) all emphasize the educational benefits of citizen participation. It is assumed that more participants with a more technical and social knowledge will give better policy decisions and as a result better social and environmental outcomes.
