NCJ Number
47029
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS THAT AROSE DURING IMPLEMENTATION OF A MODEL EVALUATION PROGRAM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS STATE PLANNING AGENCY (SPA) ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IN ATTEMPTING TO EVALUATE ALL RELATIVE PROGRAMS AND PREPARE A DATA GATHERING SYSTEM FOR PROGRAM COMPUTERIZATION, A MAJOR PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED BY SPA'S EVALUATION UNIT WAS THE FACT THAT NO SUBMISSION DEADLINES ARE REQUIRED FOR GRANT APPLICANTS; ALSO, IN MOST CASES APPLICANTS WERE NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT BASELINE DATA OR DESCRIBE GOALS OR OBJECTIVES. THE LACK OF A COMPUTER HAMPERED THE UNIT FURTHER. NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION INUNDATED THE EVALUATION UNIT AND RESULTED IN A SERIOUS DRAIN ON STAFF RESOURCES. MOREOVER, THE MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAMS HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN SUBJECT TO EVALUATION, AND CONSEQUENTLY PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND STAFF SHOWED CONSIDERABLE RESISTANCE TO EVALUATION. IN GENERAL, THE SPA ATTEMPTED TO INVOLVE PROGRAM AND AGENCY PERSONNEL IN ALL STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDED LITERATURE SEARCHES AND STAFF TRAINING IN THE USE OF EVALUATION FORMS AND PROCEDURES. HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF STAFF UNAVAILABILITY, WHICH RESULTED IN LONG DELAYS DURING THE EVALUATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. ALTHOUGH A COMPUTER WAS EVENTUALLY OBTAINED AND A PROGRAMMER HIRED, THE VOLUME OF DATA BECAME UNMANAGEABLE. MUCH DATA WAS NOT PROCESSED OR ENTERED, AND AS A RESULT IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO RECONSTRUCT DATA. OFTEN DATA COULD NOT BE STRUCTURED TO FACILITATE RETRIEVAL FOR SPECIFIC MANIPULATIONS. HIGH TURNOVER IN DATA ENTRY PERSONNEL RESULTED IN MANY ERRORS. ADDITIONAL DATA MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS INCLUDED PROGRAMMING ERRORS, INADEQUATE AND INACCURATE DOCUMENTATION, INADEQUATE SPECIFICATION, AND PROBLEMS IN SETTING COMPUTER TIME USE PRIORITIES. ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM AREA WAS WITH THE REGIONAL EVALUATORS WITHIN THE THREE ILLINOIS REGIONAL PLANNING UNITS. PROBLEMS INCLUDED DETERMINATIONS OF STAFF SALARIES, STAFF TURNOVERS, POLITICAL PROBLEMS COMPLICATING EVALUATION EFFORTS, AND A LACK OF DATA VERIFICATION. TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS THE PROJECTS SLATED FOR INTENSIVE EVALUATION OR PERFORMANCE REPORTS HAVE BEEN RADICALLY REDUCED IN NUMBER, PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, AND EXTENSIVE IN-HOUSE EVALUATIONS WILL BE LIMITED AND SUPPLEMENTED BY OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS. (JAP)