Use of Evaluation Models for Decision Making - Application to the Community Anti-crime Program

• NCJ Number: 76354
• Journal: Evaluation and Program Planning Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (1980) Pages: 197-209
• Author(s): K J Snapper; D A Seaver
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-NI-AX-0107
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Decision Sciences Consortium, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Linking evaluation results to the process of making programmatic decisions is analyzed using a multiattribute utility theory (MAUT) model and a case study involving the expansion of a community anticrime program.

Abstract

The process for integrating evaluatory information into the decisionmaking process consists of determining and structuring objectives, identifying measures for each objective, assessing importance weights for objectives, assessing current status and expectations, and measuring subsequent actual performance. To illustrate this process, evaluatory information was generated during an assessment of the Midwood-Kings Highway Development Corporation (MKDC) in New York during its first year of operation. Subsequently, MKDC was faced with the decision of expanding its service area and of integrating a civic action council into project operations. Following the process described, MAUT scores were determined for the alternatives of integrating or not integrating the civic action council. The scores indicated that a 6-point drop in MKDC effectiveness could be expected with full integration, while a 50 percent gain in civic action council utility could be expected. Thus, the program office making the decision would have to decide whether to trade off the 6-point loss in MKDC utility against the 50-plus gain in council utility. Tabular data, graphs, and five references are provided.