A Participatory Evaluation of the Tribal Victim Assistance Programs at the Lummi Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe

This project seeks to conduct a participatory outcome evaluation of two Tribal Victim Assistance (TVA) programs funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The two programs are the Passamaquoddy at Pleasant Point Victim Outreach Advocate Program in Maine and The Lummi Nation Victims of Crime Program in Washington. The evaluation will employ multiple approaches and methods, such as literature and document reviews, program reviews, data analysis, and surveys with clients, community members, tribal officials, and program staff from TVA programs, law enforcement, justice, behavioral health, education, and housing. Culturally relevant data instruments will be used. The evaluation supports development of culturally appropriate theories, policies, and practices for operating and managing TVA programs, identification of strengths and gaps in service delivery, and effective strategies to address crime victimization problems. The evaluation will consist of four components: a formative evaluation, a process evaluation, an outcome evaluation, and an impact evaluation. While each component has a different focus, several common themes will guide activities within each component. These themes include: 1) Program context'defining the fit between the community and the program; 2) Program determination'measuring achievement of project goals, objectives, philosophy, strategies, and desired outcomes; 3) Program process'how activities are developed, interpreted, and implemented both internally and externally; and 4) Program sustainability and replication'identifying successes and failures, challenges and support. The evaluation will also focus on four levels'individual, community, program, and system characteristics in order to examine how the project affects people at different participation levels. The purpose of the proposed project is to determine if each program is meeting its stated goals effectively and if the two programs have applications for other tribal nations delivering services to victims of crime while collaborating with the two participating sites in the development, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of findings and information obtained from the evaluation. CA/NCF