Interplay of Theory, Issues, Policy, and Data (From Handbook of Criminal Justice Evaluation, P 123-142, 1980, Malcolm W Klein and Katherine S Teilmann, ed. - See NCJ-73970)

• NCJ Number: 73974
• Author(s): D Glaser
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This essay postulates the necessity for criminal justice evaluators to base their sampling, monitoring, and interpretation of programs on firm theoretical ground to minimize the effects of selection and application biases.

Abstract

Three theses are set forth at the beginning of this study; each elaborated and illustrated with examples drawn from evaluations of correctional programs. The first thesis is that theory-focused sampling reduces the invalidity of sampling due to selection and application biases. Another thesis is that theory-focused sampling and data analysis increases the capacity to show the relative effecxtiveness of various programs for different types of subjects or settings. The final thesis states that theory fosters monitoring of programs under evaluation. The correctional programs chosen to illustrate these assumptions are group counseling programs in correctional settings. Such programs are often based on the rationale that they help reform offenders, instead of on the application of general principles of human behavior which might explain why the programs should be reformative and for whom. Sutherland's theory of differential association and the later variation by Hirsch of the same theory are cited as good theoretical underpinnings for correctional program evaluations. The author introduces the concept of 'nesting' narrower derived theories into the most informative theory. Sutherland's theory, with its focus on procriminal and anticriminal cources of learning, and Glaser's law of sociocultural relativity (social separation fosters cultural differentiation) are good examples of largfer containers in the nesting theory. Both crime prevention and reformation of offenders require an increase of the frequency, duration, priority, and intensity of association with anticriminal influences (i.e., social workers in counseling groups) and/or decrease of association with criminal influences. Another source of theoretical guidance for criminal justice evaluations is economics (lawbreakers should be punished for choosing illegal gain over honestly-gained income, while being simultaneously provided with trade training and job placement to increase their potential benefits from lawful conduct). Other theories are nested in the abstract and firmly established principles of learning psychology, social psychology, sociology, and economics, as potential underpinnings for criminal justice evaluations (e.g., Cloward and Ohlin's opportunity theory and the different expectation theory). Thirty-four references are appended.