INTERIM ANALYSIS OF 200 EVALUATIONS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• NCJ Number: 61200
• Author(s): V M BIER; E H KAPLAN; C MATTINGLY; T J ECKELS; N REICHMAN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 110 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-NI-AX-0007
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF 200 CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATIONS PERFORMED FROM THE LATE 1960'S TO 1977 REVEALS THAT QUITE FREQUENTLY EVALUATION METHODOLOGY IS NOT WELL MATCHED TO THE TYPE OF PROGRAM BEING EVALUATED.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE WAS SELECTED FROM APPROXIMATELY 1,500 ABSTRACTS OF STUDIES PROVIDED BY LEAA'S NCJRS VIA A KEYWORD SEARCH ON 'EVALUATIONS' CONDUCTED IN LATE 1977. THE 200 EVALUATIONS CONSTITUTE A STRUCTURED RATHER THAN A RANDOM SAMPLE, WITH 50 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE FROM 'LOGISTICAL' PROGRAMS AND 50 PERCENT FROM SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS. ALSO, ELEMENTS OF THREE LEAA EVALUATION EFFORTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE SAMPLE: NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM (NEP) PHASE I STUDIES, 'EXEMPLARY PROJECTS' AND 'EXEMPLARY VALIDATION REPORTS,' AND LEAA IMPACT CITIES PROGRAM. ISSUES OF INTEREST WERE THE STATE OF THE ART IN THESE CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATIONS, THE ATTRIBUTES OF EVALUATIONS (E.G., METHODOLOGY, USE OF RESULTS) IN COMPARISON WITH PROGRAM TYPE AND SPONSORING AGENCY, AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF EVALUATIONS BEING CARRIED OUT SO THAT CHANGE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROGRAM GROWTH AND MODIFICATION IS POSSIBLE. REFLECTING THE IMPORTANCE OF INPUTS, PROCESS, AND OUTCOME, THE STUDY WAS STRUCTURED AROUND THESE ELEMENTS AND TOOK INTO ACCOUNT CONCERNS SUCH AS THE ACCESSIBILITY AND COMPLETENESS OF THE FINAL REPORT, APPROPRIATENESS AND APPLICATION OF METHODOLOGY, DEGREE OF COMPREHENSIVENESS, AND FLEXIBILITY OF DESIGN AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION. ALSO INVESTIGATED WERE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PROGRAM STAFF AND EVALUATORS AND DEMONSTRATED AWARENESS OF INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE PROGRAM AND ITS EVALUATION. OVERALL RESULTS SHOWED THAT QUITE FREQUENTLY THE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY USED WAS NOT WELL MATCHED TO THE TYPE OF PROGRAM BEING EVALUATED, DIFFICULTIES IN APPLYING VARIOUS TYPES OF SOCIAL SCIENCE METHODS AND MEASURES WERE EXPERIENCED TO A LARGE DEGREE, AND THE TIMING OF THE FINAL REPORTS OFTEN WAS POOR. OTHER FINDINGS ARE ENUMERATED. TABULAR DATA, FIGURES, FOOTNOTES, AND APPENDIXES INCLUDING A SELECTED SAMPLE OF 200 EVALUATION DOCUMENTS, THE FINAL PHASE II CHECKLIST, COMPUTER CODE LISTS, AND THE COMPUTER PRINTOUT ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)