NCJ Number
62978
Date Published
1978
Length
20 pages
Annotation
FINDINGS FROM A GAO REPORT FOCUSING ON WHETHER LEAA HAS ADDRESSED THE EVALUATION RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS OF PREVIOUS REPORTS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH STATE AND LEAA OPERATIONS HAVE IMPROVED ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING, DECISIONMAKING, AND POLICYMAKING FUNCTIONS INVOLVING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR REDUCING CRIME AND DELINQUENCY AND IMPROVING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM NEED OBJECTIVE, RELIABLE, VALID DATA TO WORK WITH. TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUCH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, A REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED IN FOUR REGIONAL LEAA OFFICES AND IN FOUR STATES IN LATE 1975 THROUGH EARLY 1976. THE REVIEW FOCUSED ON DETERMINING WHETHER LEAA AND THE STATES WERE COMPLYING WITH THE INTENT OF THE CRIME CONTROL ACT; HOW ADEQUATE, SUFFICIENT, AND TIMELY EVALUATION EFFORTS AND PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN IN MEETING THE USER'S NEEDS; TO WHAT EXTENT EVALUATIONS WERE USED AND WERE USEFUL IN STATE AND LOCAL PLANNING; AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEAA'S EFFORTS TO ASSIST THE STATES IN COORDINATION OF RESOURCES. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT LEAA AND STATE EVALUATION ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION ARE NOT MEETING PLANNING AND DECISIONMAKING NEEDS OF USERS AT SEVERAL LEVELS. THE AMOUNT AND TYPES OF EVALUATION WORK ARE NOT ADEQUATE. THE QUALITY OF EVALUATION ACTIVITIES IS QUESTIONABLE. THE ALLOCATION AND MANAGEMENT OF EVALUATION RESOURCES NEEDS IMPROVEMENT; BETTER COORDINATION IS REQUIRED. NOT ALL STATES ARE COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL EVALUATION GUIDELINE REQUIREMENTS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AN EVALUATION COORDINATING COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, LEAA, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BE ESTABLISHED. IN ADDITION, THE NEEDS OF STATES AND LOCALITIES SHOULD BE ASSESSED PERIODICALLY, AT LEAST ANNUALLY, THROUGH FEEDBACK MECHANISM. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION. (LWM)