NCJ Number
136990
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1991) Pages: 237-244
Date Published
1991
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A variety of followup techniques were tested in this examination of the difficulties inherent in using an experimental, longitudinal design to determine the effects of an advocacy program designed to increase battered women's access to community resources.
Abstract
The first step in locating a participant was to contact the woman at her place of residence by phone. In the event that this was not possible, the interviewer visited the residence in person, leaving a note if the participant was not at home. If the participant had not replied to the messages after several home visits, or if it was clear that she had moved, the interviewer went through the same process of calling and, if unsuccessful, visiting each of the alternative contacts. The final strategy was to send a letter through the mail to the participant's last known place of residence and then to the alternative contacts. These were only the basic procedures that were used to find the participants. If these initial strategies proved unsuccessful, then many other unique techniques were used such as visiting neighbors, school, calling and visiting community service organizations, or contacting places of employment. The tracking rate showed the effectiveness of the techniques; 96 percent were found and interviewed at the 10-week project termination point, 96 percent at the 6-month followup, and 94 percent at the 12-month followup. 1 table and 7 references