OBSERVATIONS ON PROGRAM EVALUATION IN CORRECTIONS PROJECT REPORT

• NCJ Number: 42865
• Author(s): D C GIBBONS; B D LEBOWITZ; G F BLAKE
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 28 pages
• Corporate Author: Portland State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SOME OF THE RECENT WRITINGS ON PROGRAM EVALUATION ARE CRITIQUED, AND SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERRED FOR MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF FINDINGS FROM 'WEAK' EVALUATION METHODS

Abstract

NOTING THAT RECENT WRITINGS ON EVALUATION METHODS TEND TO BE OVERLY-TECHNICAL AND DIFFICULT TO APPLY, THIS PAPER INDICATES THAT AN EVALUATOR MUST FIRST BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MAJOR DIMENSIONS OF THE INTERVENTION PROGRAM HE INTENDS TO EVALUATE. EFFECTIVENESS (WHO IS BEING REACHED BY THE PROGRAM?), EFFECIENCY (HOW IS THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY OPERATING?), AND IMPACT (WHAT ARE THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM?) ARE DESCRIBED AS THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF EVALUATION THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED IN EVERY CASE. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED IN A COMPLETE EVALUATION ARE ALSO DISCUSSED....RCB