NCJ Number
43271
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 57 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING-SUMMER 1977) Pages: 3-12
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLE ATTEMPTS TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE DEBATE ABOUT CONGRESS' ROLE IN PROGRAM EVALUATION. CONGRESSIONALLY REQUESTED EVALUATION IN THREE MAJOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
THESE INITIATIVES ARE: THE SAFE STREETS AND OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL ACT OF 1968, WHICH CREATED LEAA; THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974, WHICH CREATED AN OFFICE WITHIN LEAA FOR FEDERAL JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS; AND THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT OF 1974, WHICH SET STANDARDS FOR DELAY IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AND PRETRIAL RELEASE SERVICES FOR SELECTED FEDERAL COURTS. THE POLITICS OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL ACT AND ITS AMENDMENTS DEMONSTRATED LEGISLATIVE INVOLVEMENT WHICH PROVIDED DIRECTION FOR LEAA'S EVALUATION PROGRAM. MOREOVER, THE PROGRAMMATIC DESIRES OF CONGRESS LED DIRECTLY TO A LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED EVALUATION PROGRAM IN THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION. THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT ITSELF SERVES AS AN EVALUATION MECHANISM FOR CONGRESS TO ASSESS THE OPERATIONS OF THE FEDERAL COURTS. THE NECESSITY OF LEGISLATIVE REAUTHORIZATION, AS WITNESSED BY LEAA'S HISTORY OF REAUTHORIZATION IN 1973 AND 1976, GIVES CONGRESS THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE PREVIOUS PROGRAM EVALUATION TO DETERMINE FUTURE NEEDS. LEGISLATURE'S SPECIFIC INVOLVEMENT IN THE DETAILS OF EVALUATION DESIGN, SUCH AS IN THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL ACT, HAS RESULTED IN CONGRESS' INCREASED DEMANDS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR LEEA'S EVALUATION PROGRAM, WITHOUT CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS; IT HAS MORE OR LESS ADOPTED THE LEAA APPROACH TO EVALUATION. IN THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT, CONGRESS DID NOT AUTHORIZE A FULL-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION. HOWEVER, CONGRESSIONAL EVALUATION IS SEEN AS THE MISSING KEY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOROUGH EVALUATION PROGRAM BASED ON EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.