NCJ Number
35289
Date Published
1975
Length
75 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF CJS AND LEAA EVALUATION, DISCUSSING SYSTEM-LEVEL AGGREGATE PERFORMANCE MEASURES, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF CJS STATISTICS, AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR EVALUATION.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS STATE THAT THERE IS A STRONG NEED FOR MECHANISMS FOR APPRAISING OR EVALUATING LEAA PROGRAMS AND FOR DISSEMINATING THIS INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THEY FIRST OUTLINE A SERIES OF STEPS THAT COULD BE TAKEN UNDER LEAA SUPERVISION TO START THE PROCESS OF ASSEMBLING CJS-LEVEL DATA THAT COULD EVENTUALLY BE USED TO ASSIST THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION PROCESS. A CASE IS MADE FOR STANDARDIZATION OF DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND FOR CROSS-SECTIONAL STATISTICAL STUDIES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM EXPENDITURES AND EMPLOYMENT DATA AS AN AID TO A VARIETY OF DECISION-MAKERS IN THIS AREA. OUTPUT MEASURES WHICH MAY BE USED TO IDENTIFY CJS PERFORMANCE ARE ALSO IDENTIFIED. THE SYSTEM-LEVEL PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT DEAL WITH CRIME, VICTIMIZATION, AND RECIDIVISM ARE THEN EXPLORED. THE FOCUS HERE IS ON IMPROVED METHODS OF COLLECTING, PROCESSING, AND INTERPRETING DATA RELATED TO THESE KEY ISSUES. THE ISSUE OF LONG-RANGE PROJECTED PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND THEIR USE IN EVALUATION IS EXAMINED, AND SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEAA IN THE AREA OF CRIME OCCURRENCE, VICTIMIZATION, AND RECIDIVISM DATA ARE ALSO PROVIDED. FINALLY, QUESTIONS OF OPERATIONALLY-DEFINED PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND THEIR USE IN EVALUATION ARE EXPLORED. TWO TYPES OF EVALUATION ARE IDENTIFIED EVALUATION OF EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS, AND EVALUATION OF ROUTINE OPERATIONS. THE ROLE OF QUANTITATIVE MODELS IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS IS ADDRESSED. IT IS PROPOSED THAT LEAA DEVELOP A FORMAL CJS-FOCUSED EVALUATION METHODOLOGY AND THAT EVALUATION HANDBOOKS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF ROUTINE OPERATIONS BE DEVELOPED. THE FINAL SECTION OF THIS PAPER DETAILS SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEAA IN THE AREA OF EVALUATION.