NCJ Number
205306
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: December 2003 Pages: 36-38
Editor(s)
Larry Motiuk
Date Published
December 2003
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article examines issues and presents recommendations regarding the design and implementation of appropriate research to evaluate correctional programs and verify that the intervention has achieved its stated goals.
Abstract
The overall goal of correctional program intervention is to address criminogenic factors in efforts to reduce rates of reoffending and contribute to the protection of society. Given the importance of this goal, it is incumbent upon program evaluators to develop appropriate research designs that will contribute to the knowledge in this area. This article examines the design of applied research that sets out to assess the effectiveness of programs and the need for this research to take place at the developmental stages of the program and be reviewed and adjusted as changes to the program take place. This process will ensure that safeguards are in place to prevent errors and allow for valid conclusions to be drawn. The Logic Model is presented as a useful initial step in designing an evaluation framework which promotes the clarification of objectives, identifies missing components, distinguishes between means and ends, ensures that the intended outcomes are clearly related to the program components and are clearly established, and removes assumptions about what the program is to achieve. The article continues with the need to define the research questions, the utilization of psychometric instruments, the problem of comparison groups, and the issue of treatment attrition.