What Works? Programme Evaluations

Approaches to Delinquency Prevention and Control Predelinquent Intervention –Individual Treatment –Area Projects Preadjudication Intervention –“Informal Probation” –Diversion Programmes/AM/Extrajudical measures

Approaches to Delinquency Prevention and Control Postadjudication Intervention –Probation –“Scared Straight” or Shock Incarceration –Community Treatment –Institutionalization –Conditional Release (Parole/Aftercare)

Determining What Works: The Principles of Programme Evaluation Evaluation can partake of any social research method... But experimental evaluation is usually most appropriate –The logic of experimentation –Most evaluations use classical experimental design.“Classical” Experiments have seven features:

Classical Experiments have Seven Features: Random assignment An experimental group A control group A “treatment” or “independent” variable A “dependent” variable Pretesting Posttesting

Some Suggestions from Programme Evaluations Scared Straight does not work and has never worked. Boot Camps don’t work either. Generally, “prevention” is an elusive goal. Generally, institutionalization should be reserved for violent offenders. When more than one approach is determined to be equally effective, the less costly one should be used.