Programs and Services for Victims of Crime: Phased Evaluation Research, Housing and Shelter Models for Victims of Crime

The purpose of the proposed project is to conduct evaluability assessments and formative research of two multi-component programs for victims of domestic and sexual abuse living in rural isolated areas. The two programs-Agency East and Agency West-offer an array of services for victims, including housing options. These programs face many contextual obstacles, including the challenge of providing safe shelter and affordable permanent housing for victims in rural areas. The programs may also face a lack of other community resources. The design is a multiple case study design that will focus on the readiness of each of the programs for a full evaluation and the facilitators and impediments of operating a program in two rural areas. The data collection methods are key informant telephone interviews with program staff as well as other program and community stakeholders, document reviews, secondary data analysis of administrative data, and site visits during each of the years of the project. The evaluation team will also collect information on the facilitators and impediments to operating housing options in rural isolated areas. The proposed project will yield information useful for the two programs and for the larger researcher-practitioner communities. The programs will receive information important for understanding their own operations as well as for program design and improvement. The programs will better understand the value of researcher-practitioner collaboration and the readiness for a full evaluation.