The idiographic evaluation model in crime control

Abstract

Assessing the effectiveness of crime prevention and control programs via group experiments obscures successes and failures with individual subjects through their use of mean achievement scores. Consequently, process evaluation models using time series designs to capture what occurs during the intervention process are being used increasingly in some fields of practice. One of these, the idiographic (or single subject) model, integrates evaluation into the intervention process with individual clients. The nature, methods and advantages of this model as used in social work are described and its applicability to the field of crime control pointed up.