NCJ Number
43473
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
FOLLOWING A HISTORY OF THIS MODEL EVALUATION PROGRAM FOR LEAA GRANT PROGRAMS, GENERAL FINDINGS ARE SUMMARIZED. A MAJOR FINDING WAS THAT EVALUATION MUST BE DESIGNED INTO A PROGRAM TO SET MEASURABLE CRITERIA AND COLLECT DATA.
Abstract
THE PUBLIC SAFETY PLANNING STAFF OF THE CENTRAL MIDLANDS REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, SOUTH CAROLINA, DEVISED A THREE-STAGE STRATEGY, INVOLVING DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND UTILIZATION OF EVALUATION STUDIES. A PROGRAM EVALUATION SPECIALIST WAS HIRED TO EXAMINE ONGOING PROGRAMS. IT WAS FOUND THAT CRITERIA WERE VAGUE, RECORDS HAD NOT BEEN KEPT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES LEADING TO EVALUATION, AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A CONSENSUS BETWEEN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS AND EVALUATION STAFF ON AN EVALUATION METHOD TO BE USED. THE CADET ACTION TEAM PROJECT, WHICH STARTED BEFORE THE MODEL EVALUATION PROGRAM, HAD TO BE CONSIDERABLY MODIFIED BEFORE EVALUATION COULD BE CONDUCTED. THE PATROL ACTION TEAM WAS DELAYED IN STARTING, WHICH GAVE THE EVALUATOR A CHANCE TO MODIFY OBJECTIVES TO INSURE THEY WERE MEASURABLE. THE FISCAL YEAR PROGRAMS RECEIVED EVALUATION INPUT FROM THE BEGINNING, LEADING TO MEANINGFUL AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES. EVALUATION HAS LED TO UPGRADING OF RECORDKEEPING IN ALL AGENCIES. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE, A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM BASED IN THE CITY OF COLUMBIA, IS A USEFUL TOOL IN PROVIDING QUICK ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY TO BE USED FOR MANPOWER ALLOCATION. ITS USE, HOWEVER, IS LIMITED TO THE URBANIZED AREA. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT 2 YEARS IS NOT SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE EVALUATION PROJECT TO ACCOMPLISH ALL ITS OBJECTIVES. THE PROGRAM TIMETABLE IS APPENDED.