NCJ Number
61192
Date Published
1978
Length
209 pages
Annotation
ILLINOIS' COOK COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY SUPPORT SERVICES PROJECT IS EVALUATED, WITH ATTENTION TO EACH OF THE SIX PROGRAMS RECEIVING FUNDS.
Abstract
THE SIX PROGRAMS THAT RECEIVE FUNDS FROM THE CHICAGO-COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION AND THE ILLINOIS LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION RELATE TO FELONY REVIEW; PRELIMINARY HEARINGS; COMMUNITY PROSECUTIONS; CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIONS; DRUG DIVERSION; AND PLANNING, TRAINING, AND MANAGEMENT. OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION WERE TO DETERMINE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS, ASSESS COST BENEFITS, AND IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED. FOR EACH PROGRAM, A TEAM CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAFF MEMBERS, OBSERVED THE WORK OF THE PROGRAM STAFFS, AND INTERVIEWED EXTERNAL GROUPS SUCH AS POLICE, COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND JUDGES. PROGRAM DATA WERE ANALYZED EXTENSIVELY. IN GENERAL, THE IMPACT OF THE TOTAL SUPPORT SERVICES PROJECT COULD NOT BE JUDGED USING ANY SINGLE CRITERION. LIMITED PROGRAM DATA NECESSITATED GREATER THAN NORMAL RELIANCE ON QUALITATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE IMPACT EVALUATIONS. WITH REGARD TO PROGRAM FINDINGS, ALTHOUGH THE FELONY REVIEW PROGRAM HAS HAD AN OBSERVABLE AND BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, FELONY REVIEW SUPERVISORS SHOULD MONITOR THE IMPACT OF THE SECTION'S WORK BY TYPE OF CRIME AND ALLOCATE STAFF TO AREAS WHERE THE GREATEST BENEFIT CAN BE OBTAINED. SECOND, FUNDING FOR PRELIMINARY HEARINGS IS NO LONGER NECESSARY. THIRD, THE RESULTS-ORIENTED OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY PROSECUTION PROGRAM HAD BEEN ACHIEVED ALTHOUGH METHODOLOGY CREATED SOME PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE MODIFIED. FOURTH, THE CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIVE PROGRAM COULD BE REDUCED IN SIZE. FIFTH, THE DRUG DIVERSION PROGRAM CONTINUES TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS. A CASH BOND SHOULD BE POSTED BY EACH PARTICIPANT AND CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT COMPLETING THE DIVERSION PROGRAM SHOULD BE CLEARLY SPECIFIED AT THE INTAKE STAGE. FINALLY, THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CONTINUES TO REQUIRE SUPPORT ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING ACTIVITIES. FOR EACH PROGRAM EVALUATION, TABULAR INFORMATION, MAPS, EXHIBITS, AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)