NCJ Number
67568
Date Published
1979
Length
65 pages
Annotation
THE PUERTO RICO CRIME COMMISSION RECENTLY EVALUATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR JUNIOR PROSECUTING AND INVESTIGATING ATTORNEYS BY USING A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES.
Abstract
AS PART OF AN ONGOING EFFORT TO OFFER ITS PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONTINUING TRAINING IN ALL DISCIPLINES REQUIRED BY THEIR SPECIALTIES, THE PUERTO RICO CRIME COMMISSION EVALUATED TWO TRAINING PROGRAMS, ONE FOR PROSECUTORS AND ONE FOR INVESTIGATING ATTORNEYS. THE EVALUATION FOCUSED ON (1) COMPARABLE DEGREE OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS; (2) UNFORESEEN NEEDS AND PROBLEMS WHICH MIGHT REQUIRE CHANGES IN CONTENTS AND METHODOLOGIES OF FUTURE TRAINING PROGRAMS; AND (3) GLOBAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS AS A WHOLE IN TERMS OF ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR STATED OBJECTIVES. AMONG THE EVALUATION CRITERIA APPLIED WERE TRAINEE'S OPINIONS ON SUCH TOPICS AS INSTRUCTORS' COMPETENCE, KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED, APPLICABILITY OF PROGRAMS' CONTENTS TO THEIR DAILY CASEWORK AND TO MEETING THEIR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND OPINIONS OF THE TRAINEES' SUPERVISORS ON IMPROVEMENTS (OR LACK THEREOF) IN THEIR SUBORDINATES' PERFORMANCE AS A RESULT OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS IN QUESTION. BETWEEN 20 AND 40 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROGRAM TRAINEES WERE SURVEYED. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS AND WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED. DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ALSO WERE ASKED FOR THEIR OPINIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE PROGRAMS WERE ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY RATED AS EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF THEIR STATED OBJECTIVES. MANY PARTICIPANTS LIKED THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH COLLEAGUES AND COMPARE NOTES, BUT OTHERS COMPLAINED THAT DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC PROFESIONAL TOPICS HAD BEEN LACKING. INSTRUCTORS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION AT THE CALIBER AND INTERESTED PARTICIPATION OF TRAINEES. TRAINEES ALSO RATED THEIR INSTRUCTORS AS SATISFACTORY, BUT RECOMMENDED THAT THEY BE RECRUITED, FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS, FROM THE RANKS OF PRACTICING ATTORNEYS, NOT FROM THOSE OF ACADEMIC THEORETICIANS. ALMOST ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE TRAINING PROGRAMS WANTED MORE PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION ON DEALING WITH DAILY SITUATIONS AND LESS THEORETICAL DISCUSSIONS OF THE THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LAW. APPENDIXES GIVE THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS, SUPERVISORS, AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. --IN SPANISH.