NCJ Number
231404
Date Published
July 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Key principles are presented and outlined, for policy analysts and advisors, on outcome evaluations in criminal justice or crime prevention.
Abstract
An understanding of the basic principles on policy evaluation can assist policy advisors in avoiding costly mistakes. There are two main types of evaluation: outcome and process evaluations. This article presents and explains four recommended principles of outcome evaluation that anyone thinking about commissioning or requesting an evaluation in criminal justice or crime prevention should be knowledgeable: (1) all evaluations require well-defined and measurable aims, (2) all evaluations require a baseline or a control group (or both), (3) the bigger the sample size the better (within reason), and (4) program reliability is just as important as program design. The article concludes with five tips in the commissioning of an outcome evaluation: (1) get the evaluator in early, (2) think about how the evaluator might measure your program outcomes, (3) find out whether information on key outcomes is being routinely and validly recorded, (4) think about how a control groups might be constructed, and (5) appoint a program implementation manager. 1 figure, 4 boxes, and 5 references