NCJ Number
214378
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 11 Issue: 3-4 Dated: 2005 Pages: 347-377
Date Published
2005
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews the literature on the present state of the evidence base on the effectiveness of crime prevention programs and practices in developing countries and examines the prospects of improvement.
Abstract
Results of a literature review indicate a central finding that there is little research on criminal justice policy in developing countries that has a specific focus on the effectiveness of interventions and follows the best practice rigorous scientific methods. In addition, building on evidence based on the effectiveness of crime prevention or crime reduction interventions for developing countries would be a major task. Several types of political, social, economic, and other forces, which vary from country to country, may mediate the impact of criminal justice interventions. What works for one country may not work at all elsewhere and for various reasons. In order to create an evidence base, there is a need to develop inclusion criteria when making cross-country comparisons that strike an appropriate balance between the costs and benefits of greater methodological thoroughness and generalization. Decisions about whether interventions and the settings in which they are implemented are truly comparable will often be controversial. This paper summarizes and comments on the findings from a scoping review of the literature on the effectiveness of crime prevention programs and practices in developing countries. It focuses on the quality of the methodology used in the research from which the findings are drawn. References