Practical Program Evaluation for Criminal Justice

<p><em>Practical Program Evaluation for Criminal Justice</em> shows readers how to apply the principles of fiscal responsibility, accountability, and evidence-based practice to criminal justice reform plans. Unlike other policy-based texts, which tend to focus more on implementation than assessment, this book provides applicable, step-by-step instruction on determining an initiative's necessity prior to its adoption (reducing the risk of wasting resources), as well as how to accurately gauge its effectiveness during initial roll-out stages. The book gradually introduces basic data analysis procedures and statistical techniques, which, once mastered, can be used to prove or disprove a program's worth. Lastly, the book introduces the types of stakeholders who should review evaluation results for quick action, as well as how to best structure reports to ensure their buy-in.</p> Chapter 1: Getting Started with Program Evaluation Chapter 2 : Planning a Program Evaluation Chapter 3 : Needs Assessment Evaluation Chapter 4 : Theory-Driven Evaluation Chapter 5 : Process Evaluation Chapter 6 : Outcome Evaluation Chapter 7 : Cost Efficiency Evaluations Chapter 8 : Measurement and Data Analysis Chapter 9 : Reporting and Using Evaluations Chapter 10 : Looking Ahead: A Call to Action in Evaluation Research