NCJ Number
212176
Editor(s)
Victoria Harrington,
Sara Trikha,
Alan France
Date Published
June 2004
Length
63 pages
Annotation
This report provides initial findings of a process and early implementation evaluation of the On Track pilot program in England and Wales.
Abstract
Established in 2000 and subsequently introduced in 24 local authority areas in England and Wales, the On Track pilot project was undertaken as an evidence-based preventative program in deprived and high-crime areas. The goal of the program was to reduce crime by offering early interventions for children and families. The current evaluation focuses on stages 1 and 2 of the process evaluation and the first 18 months of project implementation. The goal of this report is to identify key lessons concerning how to set-up and implement a large-scale national crime prevention project and to highlight key factors impacting the delivery of such large-scale projects. Lessons emerging from the evaluation include the need to provide project support at the transition point from planning to implementation, such as development funding, good practice guides, and realistic program time-lines. Local factors emerged as integral to the success or failure of national-scale projects and the report provides observations about how to best engage the local community and create effective partnerships. Implementation success was seen to depend on having realistic and achievable goals and developing risk management strategies that responded to the local environment. Finally, the authors offer the main themes and lessons that are relevant across the entire On Track program, recommending solutions for early implementation and set-up issues for large-scale programs. Footnotes, figures, tables, references