THE MANAGEMENT STUDY IS INTENDED TO HELP LEAA MANAGEMENT IMPROVE INTERNAL PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES SO THAT EVALUATIVE INFORMATION MIGHT BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE AGENCY'S DECISIONMAKING. THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY ARE BASED ON INFORMATION GATHERED IN REVIEWS OF COMPLETED LEAA EVALUATION STUDIES, INTERVIEWS WITH USERS OF THESE STUDIES, AND REVIEWS OF RELEVANT LEAA PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES. WHILE USE OF EVALUATIVE INFORMATION IS INCREASING AND THE QUALITY OF UTILIZATION WILL IMPROVE ALONG WITH BETTER EVALUATION STUDIES, MORE ADMINISTRATIVE INVOLVEMENT IS NECESSARY FOR RELEVANT FRAMING OF EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND MANAGEMENT'S SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR EVALUATIVE INFORMATION. PERSONAL PARTICIPATION OF KEY ADMINISTRATORS IS URGED. MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD SPECIFICALLY REQUIRE INCLUSION OF EVALUATIVE FINDINGS IN MILESTONE REPORTS; AND INFORMATION NEEDS SHOULD BE MET THROUGH A SERIES OF MANDATORY STEPS FOR ALL EVALUATION STUDIES. THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD ALSO FORMALIZE POLICY PLANNING JUST AS PROGRAM PLANNING HAS BEEN FORMALIZED. THE REPORT ASSESSES THE CURRENT GENERAL PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES ACCORDING TO AN IDEALIZED EVALUATION UTILIZATION SYSTEM FLOW CHART AND REPORTS THE UTILIZATION EXPERIENCES OF FUNCTIONAL AREAS, SUCH AS ENFORCEMENT, PREVENTION, ADJUDICATION, CORRECTIONS, JUVENILE JUSTICE, INFORMATION AND STATISTICS, AND MAJOR POLICY. IN ADDITION, THE REPORT ANALYZES THE MODES OF USE OF EVALUATION STUDIES, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BEFORE DECISIONMAKING OR WHETHER WAS UTILIZED AS CONFIRMATION ON DOCUMENTATION OF DECISIONS ALREADY MADE. THE LOWER GRADATIONS OF USE INVOLVE MISINTERPRETED OR MISCONSTRUED INFORMATION AND THE FAILURE TO OBTAIN USABLE INFORMATION. THE EXTENT OF UTILIZATION WAS FOUND TO VARY CONSIDERABLY AMONG THE FUNCTIONAL AREAS. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN FOUR CASE STUDIES ON EVALUATION USE AT LEAA AND ONE ON UTILIZATION PROCEDURES AT THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION. SEE ALSO NCJ 67514. (MRK)