Community-based Evaluation for Criminal Justice Planning

Abstract

Program evaluation is presently facing a serious crisis since most of the data that are generated through this process are not utilized. Although political considerations contribute to this problem, many of the methodologies and strategies that are employed are not sensitive to the persons or organizations that are evaluated, and thus much irrelevant information is produced. This article maintains that a community-based evaluation model will remedy this difficulty. Subsequent to outlining the basic theoretical tenets of this type of model, various concrete applications are illustrated.