Evaluability Assessments of the Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) Model, Site Report: Colorado COSA

• NCJ Number: 243833
• Date Published: July 2013
• Author(s): Ian A. Elliott, Ph.D.; Gary Zajac, Ph.D.; Courtney A. Meyer, M.A.
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2012-IJ-CX-0008
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Grants and Funding

Annotation

This study identifies issues that should be considered in an evaluation design for Colorado's Circles of Support and Accountability, a restorative justice-based community reentry program for high-risk sex offenders with little or no pro-social community support.

Abstract

The assessment determined that the Colorado COSA (COCOSA) uses an adapted version of the model that draws from materials obtained from COSA programs in Fresno, CA; Alaska, Vermont, and the United Kingdom. COCOSA is in the initial stages of developing its first COSA Circles. The COCOSA model appears to deviate from the intended model in a number of ways. Core members have not completed their sentences and are in the community under a combination of COSA and parole or probation supervision. In addition, there appears to be some flexibility in the criteria for core member selection. It was not possible to assess data management because the project is still under development. The project is well resourced in both financing and personnel, and has a strong model in place, having learned valuable lessons from its first attempt at creating a COSA. At this time, however, COCOSA is not operating at a sufficient capacity to allow it to contribute positively to rigorous evaluation. This assessment clarified program intent, explored what is currently happening in its development, examined program data capacity, analyzed program fidelity, and considered potential evaluation designs for future evaluation. 2 figures and 16 references