ASSESSMENT OF OHIO LEAA AWARDS FOR THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES REGIONAL PLANNING UNITS

• NCJ Number: 60296
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 41 pages
• Corporate Author: Ohio Dept of Economic and Community Development
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE OHIO OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES ARE SUMMARIZED WITH REGARD TO PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF MONITORING AND EVALUATING LEAA PROJECTS.

Abstract

THE LEAA MANDATE RELATIVE TO MONITORING AND EVALUATION STATES THAT MONITORING INVOLVES THE DESCRIPTION OF PLANNED PROJECT RESULTS AND THE COMPARISON OF THESE PLANNED RESULTS WITH ACTUAL PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS WHILE EVALUATION INVOLVES MORE INTENSIVE ANALYSIS THAT PERMITS INFERENCE ABOUT WHETHER CHANGES OR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO PROJECT ACTIVITIES. OHIO HAS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR ASSESSING PROJECT OUTCOMES. THE CONCEPTUAL METHOD IS BASED ON A MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS STRATEGY REGARDING PROJECT ASSESSMENT. OBJECTIVES (PROJECT OUTCOMES) AND ACTIVITIES (PROJECT MEANS) ARE STATED IN MEASURABLE TERMS AND ARE ASSESSED ON A PROJECT-BY-PROJECT BASIS. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES INVOLVE THE USE OF THREE PRIMARY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. THE PROJECT-SPECIFIC MONITORING INSTRUMENT INCLUDES MEASURES OF EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. THE MONITORING AND EVALUATION PERFORMANCE REVIEW INSTRUMENT INCORPORATES BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ELEMENTS AND ULTIMATELY ESTABLISHES THE RELIABILITY OF PROJECT RESULTS WHILE GENERATING INFORMATION ON REASONS FOR OUTCOMES. THE NARRATIVE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FUNCTIONS AS A CONDUIT FOR PROJECT STAFF PERSPECTIVES AND IS SUBMITTED WITH THE PROJECT-SPECIFIC MONITORING INSTRUMENT. FRONT-END PLANNING WHICH ENHANCES BOTH IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCESSES ENCOMPASSES THREE STEPS: RESEARCH AND PROBLEM FORMULATION; DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIVITIES; AND DEVELOPMENT OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. SAMPLE OBJECTIVES ARE TO REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM RATE, TO REDUCE INSTITUTIONAL PLACEMENT, TO INCREASE CRIME REPORTING, AND TO INCREASE THE ARREST CLEARANCE RATE. TO ASSURE A SMOOTH AND RESPONSIVE PROCESS, THE OHIO SYSTEM FOCUSES ON DATA COLLECTION, REPORTING PROCEDURES, AND THE PURPOSE OF ANALYSIS WITH REGARD TO ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. STEPS IN PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT PROCESSES ARE OUTLINED, AND PROJECT OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS ARE ILLUSTRATED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS AND A FLOW CHART DEPICTING SEQUENTIAL STEPS IN THE HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS.