WASHINGTON STATE'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DELIVERY SYSTEM PHASE ONE - EVALUATION - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 60005
• Author(s): D A ROMIG
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 130 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE REPORT EVALUATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WASHINGTON STATE'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. IT CONCLUDES THAT THE PROGRAM HAD A FAVORABLE IMPACT AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

Abstract

FEDERALLY FUNDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) IN WASHINGTON IS DEFINED AS THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL OR SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE TO LOCAL AND STATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES TO ASSIST WITH SPECIFIC PROBLEMS ON A SHORT-TERM BASIS. THE HISTORY OF TA AND THE DELIVERY SYSTEM USED BY WASHINGTON'S LAW AND JUSTICE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ARE DESCRIBED. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE INDICATED THAT INTERVIEWS OR QUESTIONNAIRES WERE THE PRINCIPAL TOOLS USED IN EVALUATIONS OF TA PROGRAMS. THE WASHINGTON PROJECT ALSO DEVELOPED NEW APPROACHES FOR ASSESSING QUALITY AND BENEFITS THROUGH MEASURING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SEVERAL VARIABLES TO THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT. THE TA PROJECTS INITIATED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1977 AND JULY 1978 ARE DESCRIBED WITH REGARD TO CONTENT, GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, TIME REQUIREMENTS, COSTS, AND POLITICAL ASPECTS. OVER HALF THE PROJECTS INVOLVED DATA COLLECTION, WHILE THE REMAINDER CONCERNED TRAINING PROGRAMS, INTERVIEWS, AND CONSULTING WITH DECISIONMAKERS. THE REPORT ASSESSED QUALITY BY ANALYZING CONSULTANTS' ACTIVITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS, THE DEGREE TA CONTRIBUTED TO SPECIFIC PROBLEM SOLUTIONS, ATTITUDES OF MANAGEMENT, ORAL PRESENTATIONS, WRITTEN REPORTS, AND TIME NECESSARY TO COMPLETE A PROJECT. THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT 70 PERCENT OF TA PROJECTS HAD A FAVORABLE IMPACT AND THAT THE PROGRAM WAS MORE HELPFUL IN SOLVING AN AGENCY'S PRIMARY PROBLEM THAN SECONDARY PROBLEMS. PROGRAM VARIABLES FOUND TO BE STATISTICALLY RELATED TO THE TA'S IMPACT ARE LISTED. THE REPORT RECOMMENDED THAT THE TA PROGRAM BE CONTINUED, BUT THAT A TRAINING PROGRAM BE DEVELOPED FOR CONSULTANTS TO IMPROVE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY. IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT PRESENTATIONS BE MADE AT MEETINGS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS TO GENERATE REQUESTS FOR TA. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED AND THE APPENDIX CONTAINS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LITERATURE ON PROGRAM EVALUATION. (MJM)