Evaluation Strategies for State Juvenile Justice Programs. Case Studies from Washington and Pennsylvania

摘要

Evaluation of programs is a critical planning tool for State-level juvenile justice administrators and policymakers who are responsible for the planning and distribution of grant awards to local programs and the monitoring of local program development and implementation. Once a program is given an award, State planners are then responsible for determining if that program is effective, and, therefore, if it should be funded for additional years, replicated in other locations, or modified to improve its effectiveness. These are important decisions that are best made with program information that is objective, systematic, and reliable. Evaluation is also a critical tool for local juvenile justice program managers who are responsible for program development and management.