NCJ Number
214751
Editor(s)
Niall Hamilton-Smith
Date Published
December 2004
Length
116 pages
Annotation
These findings from the evaluation of Great Britain's Reducing Burglary Initiative (RBI) focus on whether program objectives were supported by the program's design and the way it was administered, as well as how the program design was revised as a result of early feedback from research.
Abstract
Although the overall RBI project design resulted in the creation of a local program that reduced burglaries in the most victimized communities, insufficient resources and time were provided to support innovative program designs, given the fixed time frame for evaluation phases. Innovations in pilot programs typically involve complex developmental processes that require change in the work of existing agencies. This requires time and resources. Further, the method used for selecting RBI projects (competitive bidding) was not suited to selecting suitable sites for innovative crime-reduction work. Proficiency in writing bids did not always match a site's ability to host the development and implementation of an innovative program. The evaluation model used in the RBI's design prevented evaluators from being involved in the development of program design, which could have provided expert consultation in the development of innovative programs whose implementation and outcomes could be objectively measured, accompanied by ongoing feedback in the course of implementation. This process evaluation was based on semistructured interviews with key project participants, some of which were repeated at regular intervals; nonparticipant observation of project activities; and attendance at project committee meetings. It involved 20 RBI projects in England and Wales. 8 tables, 2 figures, and 58 references