NCJ Number
70248
Date Published
1980
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This evaluation seeks to determine whether training sessions for Criminal Justice Planning Agency managers in Arizona added significantly to participants' understanding and skill in executive development and organization development.
Abstract
The training aimed to reinforce knowledge gained by providing experiential segments for participants. 'Lecturettes,' labs, and small group interaction had the objectives, respectively, of self-exploration, action and practice, and commitment to try new ways. For executive development, substantive input involved organizational behavior, communication, styles of management, problemsolving, trust and managerial effectiveness, and personnel performance appraisal. For organization development (OD), the elements included OD overview, OD approaches, organization diagnosis, problem definition, and interventions. The results of questionnaires administered to participants indicated their satisfaction with the lecturettes, labs, discussions, and subject matter. The most useful ideas or techniques were found to be communication, interpersonal relations, and self-understanding. Test and posttest questionnaires assessed the amount of substantive learning participants achieved. Although the executive development session saw a significant increase in learning, the OD did not fare as well; the pretest of OD concepts could reflect the complete newness of the field and the threat that OD may carry with its implications for change. Change in corrections is occurring nationwide, and the tendency is to build protective barriers. The training instruments, evaluation tools, and the pretest and posttest questionnaires are provided.