Assessing Program Performance

Identifying Goals and Objectives

Programs must have clearly specified goals and objectives before an evaluation can take place. A program goal is a broad statement of what the program hopes to accomplish or what changes it expects to produce. Examples of program goal statements include:

Reduce reoffending among substance abusing offenders served by the program
Reduce the crime rate in the neighborhood targeted by the program
Restore a sense of well-being to victims of crime

An objective is a specific and measurable condition that must be attained in order to accomplish a particular program goal. There are many different ways to specify objectives; the program and evaluator should choose the method that works best for each situation. Examples of program objectives include:

Assist substance abusing offenders in abstaining from drug use
Ensure that victims of crime feel compensated for their losses
Improve by one grade level reading scores for 80% of the juveniles who complete the program

Learn More...

Establishing Evaluation Criteria (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

The Logic of Evaluation (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)

Measuring Performance When There is No Bottom Line (Bureau of Justice Assistance)

The Problem of Defining Agency Success (Bureau of Justice Assistance)

State your Program Objectives in Measurable Terms (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

What You Expect: Building A Theory of Action (National Institute of Justice, Chapter 2)

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