NCJ Number
53854
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
TYPICAL OBSTACLES TO THE ACCUMULATION OF KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE EVALUATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED, AND A MODEL FOR LOCAL SYSTEM EVALUATION IS PROPOSED.
Abstract
THE MULTIPLICITY OF EVALUATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE A FUND OF KNOWLEDGE FROM WHICH TO DRAW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE PROGRAMS AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING PROGRAMS. THIS SITUATION IS BELIEVED DUE TO SEVERAL FEATURES OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS ITSELF. THE OBSTRUCTING FEATURES IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED ARE: (1) THE YOKING OF EVALUATIONS TO AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEGREE OF FULFILLMENT OF OBJECTIVES SPECIFIED IN PROJECT GRANT PROPOSALS, THUS LIMITING AN EXAMINATION OF ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM; (2) FUNDING BASED ON YEARLY EVALUATIONS PREVENTS A THOROUGH EVALUATION OF EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENTS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME; (3) IN EVALUATING SPECIFIC PROJECTS, THERE IS LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS, THUS LIMITING EFFORTS TO PULL TOGETHER RESULTS FROM A NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS FOR ANALYSIS; (4) PUBLIC ACCESS TO EVALUATION INFORMATION IS FREQUENTLY LIMITED, CAUSING AN ADDITIONAL OBSTACLE TO COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS; AND (5) THE USE OF QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL MODELS TO MEASURE PROJECT OUTCOMES WHICH FAIL TO YIELD TRUSTWORTHY EVALUATION RESULTS. IN ELABORATING UPON THE FIFTH OBSTACLE DISCUSSED, SOME COMMONLY USED QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL MODELS ARE IDENTIFIED AND DEEMED INADEQUATE. IN PLACE OF INADEQUATE MODELS THAT ATTEMPT TO MEASURE PROJECT OUTCOME BY APPROXIMATING THE CLASSICAL EXPERIMENTAL MODEL, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT GREATER ATTENTION BE GIVEN TO LOCAL SYSTEM EVALUATION, PARTICULARLY IN COMBINATION WITH MORE SOPHISTICATED DATA COLLECTION. AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT THIS SUGGESTION MEANS IS OFFERED IN THE DISCUSSION OF AN EVALUATION CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHOR WITH RESPECT TO AFTERCARE PROGRAMS IN PHILADELPHIA, PA. USING FIELD SURVEYS OF AFTERCARE AGENCIES AND COHORT ANALYSIS, THE EVALUATION AIMED AT DEVELOPING A PICTURE OF THE TOTAL AFTERCARE SYSTEM OPERATING IN PHILADELPHIA AND ITS IMPACT AS EXPERIENCED BY THE CLIENTS SERVED. IT IS BELIEVED THE AVAILABILITY OF SUCH DATA CAN PROVIDE A 'COMPARISON GROUP' FOR MANY PROJECTS SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A CONTEXT IN WHICH AGENCIES WITH SIMILAR GOALS CAN SEE THEIR ROLE WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF SERVICES.