NCJ Number
62827
Date Published
1979
Length
33 pages
Annotation
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF THE EVAUATION OF PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE OFFICE OF JUNVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION (OJJDP) ARE PRESENTED; NEW APPROACHES AND TECHNIQUES ARE EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
THE OJJDP AWARDED 16 GRANTS TOTALING $14.3 MILLION TO PRIVATE NONPROFIT AGENCIES TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH RESIDING IN COMMUNITIES CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH CRIME RATES, DELINQUENCY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND OTHER INDICATORS OF POVERTY. THIS REPORT PRESENTS PROGRAM EVALUATION AFTER 1 YEAR OF OPERATION. THE PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH ARE EXPLORATORY IN NATURE. THE EVALUATION ANTICIPATED TWO LEVELS OF ANALYSIS. FIRST, A TRADITIONAL IMPACT ANALYSIS, AN ATTEMPT TO MEASURE EFFECTS OF PREVENTION EFFORTS ON YOUTH, COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER YOUTH-SERVING AGENCIES WAS CONDUCTED. THE SECOND LEVEL OF RESEARCH IS PROCESS ANALYSIS, WHICH IS DESCRIPTIVE OF HOW PROGRAMS WERE CONCEPTUALIZED, PLANNED, IMPLEMENTED, MODIFIED, AND TERMINATED. IMPACT ANALYSIS WAS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS BECAUSE OF DATA COLLECTION AND INTERPRETATION PROBLEMS AND UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO IMPLEMENT A CLASSICAL EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. PROCESS ANALYSIS HAS BEEN MORE FRUITFUL. THE PROJECTS OFFERED AN ARRAY OF SERVICES TO SEVERAL THOUSAND YOUTH, AND TTHE ORGANIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN HEAVILY DOCUMENTED. MORE EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION AMONG GRANTORS, PROSPECTIVE GRANTEES, AND EVALUATORS COULD PROVIDE AN IMPROVED ECONOMICAL RESEARCH EFFORT. (1WM)