NCJ Number
45652
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTIVE EVALUATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVENTION PROCESS AND ITS EVALUATORS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATIONS HAVE NEGLECTED MATERIALS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A THOROUGH DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF THE INTERVENTION PROCESS. INADEQUATE EVALUATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVENTIONS INDICATE CARELESS ATTITUDE TOWARD HUMAN WELFARE. THIS PROBLEM IS BASED ON THE EVALUATION LITERATURE WHICH IS PRODUCED BY BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS WHO FIND THEIR ROLES DISCOMFORTING IN THAT THEY ARE NEITHER JOURNALISTS NOR NOVELISTS. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT MOST INTERVENTION REPORTS DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO DEFT PHRASES THAT CHARACTERIZE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND A NUMBER OF CALCULATIONS TO DOCUMENT THE RESULTS, AS IS REQUIRED FOR JOURNAL PUBLICATION. INSUFFICIENT DESCRIPTION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATIVE WORK IS CAUSED BY THE HEAVY DEMANDS IMPOSED BY THE WORK. TO DO A THOROUGH JOB, THE EVALUATOR HAS TO PICK THROUGH THE DATA AND INTERPRET THOSE PORTIONS THAT APPEAR TO BE TRUE AND IMPORTANT. VALUES SHOULD BE SET FORTH AND LINKED WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE INTERVENTION PROCEDURE. ATTENTIVE MONITORING ALLOWS FOR QUICK DISCERNMENT OF TRENDS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED AND FOR MORE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER SUPPORTING INFORMATION ABOUT EMERGING SITUATIONS. A GOOD EVALUATOR SHOULD BE TRAINED IN SOCIAL SCIENCE AND JOURNALISM, WITH ITS CONCERN ON ACCURACY AND FAIRNESS. (AJJ)