NCJ Number
43983
Date Published
1975
Length
79 pages
Annotation
LEAA'S PROGRESS TOWARD THE THREE GOALS IDENTIFIED BY THE EVALUATION POLICY TASK FORCE IN MARCH 1974 IS ASSESSED, RELATED ISSUES ARE IDENTIFIED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
LEAA'S THREE EVALUATION GOALS ARE THE FOLLOWING: TO OBTAIN AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON THE COST AND EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS APPROACHES TO SOLVING CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBLEMS; TO USE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AT EACH LEAA ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL IN PLANNING AND DECISIONMAKING TO ASSIST PROGRAM MANAGERS IN ACHIEVING ESTABLISHED GOALS; AND TO ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM UNITS IN REALIZING THE BENEFITS OF USING EVALUATION AS PART OF THEIR MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. ALTHOUGH LEAA HAS MADE MAJOR RESOURCE COMMITMENTS TO ACHIEVING THESE GOALS, EVALUATION PROGRAMS SUFFER FROM LACK OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT. LEAA'S EVALUATION EFFORTS ARE FRAGMENTED AND UNDERFUNDED IN COMPARISON WITH THE EVALUATION PROGRAMS RECOMMENDED BY THE TASK FORCE. LACK OF ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY WITHIN LEAA LIMITS PROGRESS TOWARD EVALUATION GOALS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT LEAA ASSIGN MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR EACH EVALUATION PROGRAM TO A SPECIFIC PROGRAM OFFICE; PROVIDE EACH OFFICE WITH THE AUTHORITY, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, AND ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY TO IMPLEMENT A COORDINATED PROGRAM; AND HOLD EACH OFFICE ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROGRESS TOWARD THE EVALUATION GOAL. PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTING THE TASK FORCE REPORTS ARE IDENTIFIED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS PERTAINING TO THE ATTAINMENT OF EACH EVALUATION GOAL ARE PRESENTED. A SEPARATE VOLUME CONTAINS COMMENTS ON ISSUES CONCERNING MANAGEMENT OF LEAA EVALUATION PROGRAMS, DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION CAPABILITY, EVALUATION METHODOLOGY, AND EVALUATION UTILIZATION. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE EXCERPTS FROM THE TASK FORCE REPORT, DISCUSSIONS OF ASSESSMENT OF EVALUABILITY AND RAPID FEEDBACK EVALUATION, AND A LISTING OF POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR AN EVALUATION TRAINING PROGRAM.