Implementation Evaluation Implementation Evaluation An evaluation of whether necessary services are being delivered to intended targets Important that services are delivered in a high quality manner Important that services are delivered in a way that addresses the needs and underlying causes of the problem o Specific services should be provided to populations with more needs the o Services should be directed at addressing the root causes of the problem problem is worse based on theory Dimensions of an Implementation Evaluation Planned delivery of services o Rehabilitation Types of treatment staff training varying degrees of community supervision probation and parole o Punishment o Operations Arrests sentencing and other sanctioning ex solitary confinement Quality of discretion community supervision discretion one on one treatment sessions The process of continually conducting implementation evaluations as long as the Performance monitoring can help make sure services continue to be provided in a Performance Monitoring policy is in place high quality manner Assessing Policy Performance In order to effectively evaluate the performance of a policy there needs to be guidelines o These guidelines should be Consistent Transparent Specific Conducting an Implementation Evaluation Critical to have a clear definition of the needs and theory of a problem If not we won t know what to measure or what we are looking for o How are we to know if a policy is effective ineffective or in between Look to theory and past research for guidance o Theory Reality theory validation empirical research o Reality Theory theory formation exploratory research Conducting an Implementation Evaluation First have a solid theory evaluation the policy to impact the problem Second o Make sure that you have a good idea about what is going to be required from o Make sure systematic evaluations are conducted to monitor implementation of the policy and keep important service providers accountable Third choose which measures will serve to assess how well a policy is being implemented o Are we interested in evaluating planned services or operations o Maybe we want to evaluate both The Importance of an Implementation Evaluation First a good implementation evaluation will help provide the criteria or standard for how a policy should be implemented o As a result information gathered from implementation evaluations can help improve implementation efforts Second well done implementation evaluations can help keep service providers or other agencies accountable o Help identify who and what is the weakest link o In the long run this may make or break a policy Third good implementation evaluations can be used to measure whether or not the policy actually has an effect on the problem o This information will be important when conducting outcome and impact evaluations o Also helps avoid labeling a policy ineffective too quickly Policies may have more long term than short term effects depending on the type of services provided Are Current CJ Policies Implemented Well Little is known about how well mainstream CJ policies are implemented o A major reason for this is because several decision makers are involved in CJ process Judges Lawyers Correctional staff Probation officers Parole officers Key Points to Remember Implementation Evaluations o Can help design a policy o Help create ways to make sure a policy is implemented appropriately o Help create assessments to keep service providers accountable and o Can help inform outcome impact evaluations Prisoner Reentry Prisoner Reentry All activities and programming conducted to prepare ex convicts to return safely to the community and to live as law abiding citizens Joan Petersilia 2003 Based on this definition reentry should be based on o Time spent during confinement Treatment program participation o Time after confinement Program participation or support inmates receive when they are released Prisoner Reentry Canadian Model o Research by Andrews and Bonta 1998 uncovered that cognitive behavioral approaches reduce recidivism Important component was addressing individual offender differences ex race sex age IQ Static risk Dynamic needs Treatment matching Services Controls Improved outcomes Treatment matching and services controls determine responsivity US Model o Focuses more on environmental influences that may increase the risk for recidivism Employment opportunities Deviant peers Lack of social support Negative family influences Prisoner Reentry Over 700 000 offenders are released every year in the US Fortunately the federal government has invested a considerable amount of money to develop new reentry programs o Over 100 000 000 between 2001 and 2004 Petersilia 2004 However many of these programs have not been evaluated Ideal model for reentry programming Canadian Model US Model Needs for Prisoner Reentry Programs High recidivism rates o Reduce the frequency of recidivism o Decrease the prison population Unaddressed offender problems when released o Mental health aggression poor cognitive skills etc o This in turn may impact the offender s welfare and the welfare of others o May effect the welfare of the communities that the offenders return to Theory for Prisoner Reentry Programs Social Support Theory o Provide inmates with tools to Gain employment Deal with mental health issues Deal with physical health issues Avoid reoffending Become self sufficient Implementation of Prisoner Reentry Programs Beginning in prison o Visitation o Life skills programs o Employment workshops o Educational programs o Cognitive Behavioral Therapy o Cognitive Behavioral Therapy o Community supervision Tailored to individual needs o Substance abuse programs o Training school communities Programs that offer offenders support for when they are released reenter society Outcome Evaluations of Prisoner Reentry Programs Visitation o Inmates that are visited more frequently over the course of their sentence are less likely to recidivate Life Skills Programs are less likely to recidivate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT o Evidence indicates that offenders who attend these programs before release o Evaluation research suggests that these programs help offenders deal with antisocial and mental health problems o These effects may reduce the risk for recidivism Business Training Schools o Limited amount of evidence but so far looks promising for being able to reduce the risk of recidivism among repeat offenders Cost