Evaluation for Lesson Learning (From Handbook of Crime Prevention and Community Safety, P 699-733, 2005, Nick Tilley, ed, -- See NCJ-214069)

• NCJ Number: 214092
• Author(s): John E. Eck
• Date Published: 2005
• Length: 35 pages
• Sale Source: Willan Publishing
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This chapter describes the construction and use of evaluations, underscoring the importance of theory and sound research design.

Abstract

Using the evaluation of place management interventions as an example throughout the chapter, the author argues that a consideration of both research design and the theoretical foundations of crime prevention are necessary to gain the most useful information from evaluations. Criminal justice agencies across the globe are now calling for evidence-based crime prevention strategies that help identify, among other things, the nature of a particular crime problem and the type of intervention most effective at reducing particular crime problems. The purpose behind the evaluation of crime prevention interventions is described, followed by a discussion of the four elements involved in crime prevention evaluation: interventions (what’s done), outcomes (the results), cases (what is impacted), and settings (the context for the intervention). Criteria for judging the effectiveness of interventions is examined and involves an examination of the mechanisms through which interventions works, the association between the intervention and subsequent crime rates, temporal order of events in terms of intervention preceding drop in crime, elimination of rival explanations, and the generalizability to other settings. The forms of validity that correspond to each criteria are considered before the author discusses the importance of evaluation design, looking in particular at randomized experiments, quasi-experiments, non-experiments, and process evaluations. The process through which we can generalize from specific evaluation findings to uncovering larger lessons about crime problems and their prevention is considered, with an emphasis on the importance of theory in understanding evaluation findings. Finally, a case study is offered in which two evaluation programs, only one of which is based on theory, are contrasted. Figures, tables, notes, references