Next Millennium Conference: Ending Domestic Violence; Evaluation 101 (Part I, #226)

• NCJ Number: 184567
• Author(s): Eleanor Lyon; Anuradha Sharma; Angela M. Parmley; Stephanie Riger
• Date Published: August 1999
• Length: 54 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1999-WT-VX-0002
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Conference Material

Annotation

In Part I of a two-part presentation, evaluators discuss issues and procedures involved in evaluating the processes and outcomes of programs that provide services to battered women.

Abstract

The speakers first discuss the fears and concerns that program managers may have regarding evaluation, including whether the investment of time and money is worth the benefits of an evaluation and whether the research can be done safely and ethically for the participating victims of domestic violence. The speakers next discuss the nature of an evaluation and the benefits that can be expected from it. The evaluators also discuss the provision of a context for evaluation. It is necessary that evaluation provide a broader context than other forms of information collection, such that the information, when analyzed, provides practical guidance for program operation, development, and modification. Another issue discussed is the importance of evaluations being inclusive, i.e., they must consider how program elements and processes impact a variety of domestic violence victims with varying characteristics. The presenters conclude this first part of the presentation with an overview of the evaluation process, which includes a summary of the key steps in conducting an evaluation from start to finish. For Part II, see NCJ-184568.