NATIONAL COMMUNITY ANTI-CRIME PROGRAM EVALUATION PROJECT

• NCJ Number: 64178
• Author(s): R G LEWIS; L MEYER; F D'ONOFRIO; F GRAGG; D ZEITLIN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 190 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77NI-99-0084-S1
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Research for Social Change, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RESULTS OF A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ANTI-CRIME PROGRAMS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION (LEAA) ARE PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER 1979.

Abstract

FOUR SECTIONS FOCUS ON (1) THE BACKGROUND OF THE COMMUNITY ANTI-CRIME PROGRAM, (2) THE RESEARCH FOR SOCIAL CHANGE (EVALUATING FIRM) EVALUATION PARADIGM, (3) THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND THEIR EVALUATION PRIORITIES, AND (4) A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THE ANTI-CRIME PROJECTS. THE EVALUATION PARADIGM IS A DECISION-THEORETIC APPROACH WHICH USES MULTIPLE ATTRIBUTE THEORY AND BAYESIAN STATISTICS. IT IS RECOMMENDED AS A BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR ALL LEAA EVALUATIONS BECAUSE IT FOCUSES ATTENTION ON POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS RATHER THAN ON THE DETAILS OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, IT ALSO PROVIDES A SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY TO HELP OVERCOME THE MAJOR PROBLEMS CAUSING UNDER-UTILIZATION OF EVALUATION EFFORTS. FINALLY, IT PROVIDES A TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE USED IN ALL STAGES OF PROGRAMMING FOR SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS. THE THREE STAKEHOLDERS ARE CONGRESSIONAL STAFF (POLICYMAKERS), THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ANTI-CRIME (PROGRAM SPONSOR), AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (EVALUATION). PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THE ANTI-CRIME PROJECTS INDICATES THAT ESTABLISHED GRANTEES CAN WORK AS WELL WITH THE POLICE AS CAN NEW GRANTEES; THE RACIAL COMPOSITION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT AFFECT POLICE RELATIONSHIPS; PROGRAMS REPRESENTING PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE INCOME BRACKET TEND TO HAVE A LESS FAVORABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE, AND, THEREFORE, TEND TO WORK HARDER AT BRINGING POLICE AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TOGETHER; AND SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS REPORT THAT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE RESPONDING BY CLEARING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS FROM THE STREETS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE PROGRAM EFFORTS ARE DISCUSSED. TABLES, DIAGRAMS, AND CHARTS ARE INCLUDED, AND APPENDIXES CONTAIN INFORMATION ON THE EVALUATORS, ON STAKEHOLDER GROUPS' ISSUES, AND ON EVALUATION DESIGNS.