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EVALUATION ISSUES

NCJ Number
51305
Author(s)
P TRAINER
Date Published
1978
Length
23 pages
Annotation
GUIDELINES TO HELP PROGRAMS DETERMINE WHEN EVALUATION IS THE APPROPRIATE MEANS OF GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT A PROJECT ARE PRESENTED IN A MANUAL PREPARED FOR THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, LEAA.
Abstract
TYPES OF INFORMATION-GATHERING ACTIVITIES--ASSESSMENT, MONITORING, EVALUATION--AND TYPES OF EVALUATIVE RESEARCH--EFFORT, EFFICIENCY, OPERATION, EFFECTIVENESS OF PERFORMANCE, ADEQUACY OF PERFORMANCE--ARE DISTINGUISHED. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROCESS AND IMPACT EVALUATION ARE EXPLAINED, AND THE USES OF INFORMATION PRODUCED BY BOTH KINDS OF EVALUATION ARE DESCRIBED. A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED BEFORE DECIDING TO UNDERTAKE AN EVALUATION IS PRESENTED. THE QUESTIONS CONCERN WHETHER EVALUATION FINDINGS ACTUALLY WOULD BE USED, WHETHER THE PROJECT IS EVALUABLE, AND WHETHER THE RESOURCES (ESPECIALLY STAFF) NEEDED TO CONDUCT THE EVALUATION ARE AVAILABLE. SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES FOR EVALUATION ACTIVITIES ARE CITED, AS ARE PUBLICATIONS DETAILING THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF EVALUATION OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN GENERAL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR. A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE TECHNICAL TASKS INVOLVED IN EVALUATION--FORMULATING THE QUESTION, DESIGNING INSTRUMENTS OR TECHNIQUES FOR MEASUREMENT, DESIGNING THE STUDY, COLLECTING DATA, USING RESULTS--IS PRESENTED. COMMON MODELS (DESIGNS) FOR EVALUATION STUDIES ARE NOTED. A LIST OF REFERENCES AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHECKLIST FOR REVIEWING EVALUATION PLANS ARE PROVIDED.