Report From the States on What Works at the State and Local Levels: A Compendium of Assessment and Evaluation Results

• NCJ Number: 137993
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 142 pages
• Grant Number(s): 91-DD-CX-K013
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This compendium presents State-by-State profiles of the evaluations of State and local criminal justice programs, with an emphasis on drug-control efforts.

Abstract

The format for the abstracts of each program encompasses program objectives/research questions, time- frame of the study, location/sites of the study, methodology, findings, and contact person or agency for further information. Policy implications are cited only for those reports that specifically state them. The abstracts indicate that the States and territories are engaged in evaluating a broad range of drug-control programs using a variety of evaluation techniques. They are relying on a diverse mix of resources at both the State and local levels. Promising steps have been taken, and much has been learned at the State and local levels regarding what works in drug control. The report concludes, however, that more and better evaluations must be undertaken. In some instances, methodological rigor is lacking; some studies do not go beyond descriptive statistics; adequate controls are not introduced into research designs; or the comparative perspective is missing. In many cases, the first steps in what should be long-term evaluations have been taken, but there is no assurance that the outcome evaluation will be undertaken or completed.