NCJ Number
92742
Editor(s)
J F French,
C C Fisher,
S J Costa
Date Published
1983
Length
112 pages
Annotation
These guidelines on the evaluation of alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs are designed for managers and other decisionmakers associated with these programs.
Abstract
The guidelines cover three levels of evaluation: process, outcome, and impact. They categorize information as descriptive, comparative, or explanatory and focus on four target areas: individual, program, service system, and societal. Advice on initiating an evaluation focuses on the need for managers to define the program and its goals, determine the evaluation type and criteria, and analyze the potential costs and benefits of the evaluation. A case example of a poor evaluation is constructed and critiqued to highlight technical issues relevant to evaluations, to outline basic quantitative and qualitative methods, and to introduce cost-benefit analysis. Three actual case studies focus on communication between program decisionmakers and evaluators. They examine relationships among interpersonal communications, program realities, and evaluation needs that encourage or hinder useful evaluation. Additional case material highlights the importance of the program's external context for the success or failure of both the program and its evaluation. Tabular data, diagrams, and 40 references are provided.