Group Home Evaluation System Development Project - Final Report

• NCJ Number: 84652
• Author(s): K W Johnson; W T Rusinko; C M Girard
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 251 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76EAJD5-6208
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Maryland Governor's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice
• Corporate Author: International Training, Research and Evaluation Council; Maryland Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The evaluation system provides an alternative to institutional treatment for juvenile offenders in Maryland's group homes.

Abstract

The system began in 1976 with the development of an evaluation framework and instruments, data collection and analysis, and the dissemination of project findings. Orientation workshops were held for community group homes serving three or more youths to acquaint group home staff with the evaluation system. The data collection instruments were revised to incorporate suggestions from the workshop participants. The six evaluation instruments focused on psychological outcomes in the youths served, behavioral outcomes, the programs' environments and dynamics, staff job satisfaction and perceptions of the youths, and administrators' observations. The evaluation system can be expanded and is flexible enough to permit the addition of new data elements. Assessment results can be presented in alternative formats. The final set of instruments will be administered annually at 45 to 50 facilities which serve about 450 residents. The system will provide both the group homes' staff and the State's Juvenile Services Administration with continuous program information. Tables, 31 references, and appendixes presenting the data collection instruments are supplied.