NCJ Number
38828
Date Published
1977
Length
42 pages
Annotation
THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES MAJOR EVALUATIONS OF VARIOUS AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTIVITY, INCLUDING THOSE LEAA SUPPORTS THROUGH ITS BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
Abstract
THIS REPORT DISCUSSES THE BACKGROUND OF THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM (NEP), ITS GOALS, APPROACH, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE. THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS, THROUGH A SURVEY OF STATE PLANNING AGENCIES AND LEAA REGIONAL AND NATIONAL OFFICES, IDENTIFIES THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT MIGHT BE MOST EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSED BY MEANS OF EVALUATIONS UNDER THIS PROGRAM. PROJECTS IDENTIFIED AS BEING RELATED TO THESE ISSUES AND CONCERNS ARE CLUSTERED INTO 'TOPIC AREAS', EACH OF WHICH CONSISTS OF COMPARABLE PROJECTS WITH SIMILAR ACTIVITIES OR SIMILAR MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES. AS TOPIC AREAS ARE IDENTIFIED THEY BECOME CANDIDATES FOR PHASE I ASSESSMENT. FOR EACH TOPIC AREA SELECTED, AN ANALYSIS IS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN ABOUT THE PROJECT TYPE, WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT TYPE, AND WHAT WOULD BE THE COST AND VALUE OF OBTAINING THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TWENTY-SEVEN PHASE ONE ASSESSMENTS HAVE BEEN FUNDED; OF THESE 20 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. UPON THE COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE ASSESSMENTS, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE SELECTS THOSE PHASE ONE TOPIC AREAS WHICH WILL UNDERGO LONG-TERM, IN-DEPTH STUDY (PHASE TWO EVALUATIONS). THE INITIAL PHASE TWO EVALUATIONS SELECTED DEAL WITH THE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME (TASC) PROGRAM AND PRETRIAL RELEASE PROJECTS. FINDINGS FROM THE 16 NEP PHASE ONE ASSESSMENT STUDIES PUBLISHED AND DISSEMINATED TO DATE ARE SUMMARIZED BRIEFLY BY TOPIC AREA. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A COPY OF THE LEAA INSTRUCTION REAFFIRMING THE PROGRAM'S OVERALL EVALUATION STRATEGY, A LIST OF THE 27 FUNDED PHASE ONE ASSESSMENTS, AND A LIST OF THE 16 PHASE ONE REPORTS AVAILABLE FROM NCJRS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW