Crime Prevention Coalition of America - Term Paper Example

Program Evaluation History of the Program Year of Start Up The notion of helping the government in fighting crime was incepted in the year 1978. The mission was acquitted to the Advertising council, Inc. The council then assigned the duty to Dancer Fitzgerald Sample (Currently the Saatchi & Saatchi). Original Needs The chief aim in the inscription of the program was meant to help the nation at large learn ways through which as a community they can spearhead the fight of crime through personal efforts, family efforts and through the use of the home security guards. Growth/Number of Sites/Key Person The body that executed the mandate in handling the crime rate at that time was referred to as the Crime Prevention Coalition of America. The council is informed and supported by 19 agencies. Currently, the National Crime Prevention Council leads the National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign. This body features the Crime Dog-Mc Gruff and his, “Take a Bite out Of Crime” slogan. Mc Gruff has made visits to schools and community gathering to enlighten them on how they can improve in their efforts in curbing the detrimental effects of Crime in their neighbourhood. There have been enormous developments under the stewardship of Mc Gruff. Like in the mid 1980s he encouraged people to form a Neighbourhood Watch to provide security to their homesteads. He also brought up the notion of parks street clean ups so as to render them unconducive to the criminals. Further development was witnessed in the mid 1990s where Mc Gruff campaigns now addressed how gun related violence was affecting the children living amongst those areas where gun crime was prevalent. At the present date, the prevailing crime issues that need the government concern are Internet safety, identity theft, volunteering and bullying. Program Description Objectives The guiding objectives for the program were as follows; to review the history of crime prevention, to define crime prevention, to examine the principles of crime prevention, to review the different types of crime prevention and finally to identify the strategies that can be employed or used in reducing the rates of crime in the community (Schneider, 2009). Major Activities The chief efforts of the program are directed at ensuring that there is; Ultimate school safety, ensuring that there is Workplace safety, making sure that there is Personal safety for each member of the community, spearheading auto theft prevention, neighbourhood watch, undertaking house to house identification and many more programs (Schneider, 2009). Evaluability of the Program Goals The major program's goal was to improve on the life quality through ensuring a secure environment for each citizen. Another ultimate goal of the program is to provide all the concerned authority as private sector partners, Local government officials and many more with the necessary information that will enable them execute crime prevention programs in line with the effort of creating a more secure, safer and more lively community. To ensure that there is the establishment of a central position in the efforts of law enforcement. To cultivate cooperation among all community elements To see that every member of the community has been educated on how top deal with crime in their vicinity. Objectives The program had stipulated objectives to aid in the delivery and provision of the services to the community. Some of the objectives that were formulated in the program are; a review of the past efforts employed in crime prevention, conduction of the examination for the laid crime prevention principles and development of ways that will ensure that crime is dealt with to the lowest rate possible in the community (Schneider, 2009). Activities chart/logic model/pert chart The chart depicts the manner in which the program will be executed in the sequences shown by the arrows. The cost of crime prevention program in the United States costs more than $428 billion each year. The cost of crime hurts every member of the community. Methods of Evaluation There are two evaluation types that are commonly used in crime prevention programs. These types are; process evaluation and Outcome evaluation. Process Evaluation technique is usually designed to help in understanding and assist in improving the activities that are delivered as part of the program. The process evaluation aims at assessing if the activities of the program have been executed and implemented the way it had been planned in the crime prevention program. Outcome Evaluation aims at studying how the structures of the program have been effectively implemented. Evaluation helps in understanding the nature of the design that was devised for the program (Lab, 2011). Purposes of Evaluating the Program The evaluation initiative for any given program is undertaken so as to try and assess; the manner in which the given program has been received by the people in the community, evaluation of the program is also executed to determine whether the program has received any support from the public, or it has been rejected. Evaluation again plays a substantial role in assessing the levels of crime prevention activities delivered in the nation. Evaluation at the same time plays a significant role in reviewing the strategies that have been put in place to curb or stop crime in the different parts of the country (Lab, 2011). Evaluation consequently helps in determining how the crime prevention available program or that has been put in place can be employed in addressing the different scenarios that would arise within the course of time. Evaluation helps in monitoring the methods and the necessary requirements to have a comprehensive crime prevention program all over the nation. Evaluation will enormously help in determining who the target group is in the program (Lab, 2011). Through evaluation, it is possible to gauge on the use of research based data in the execution of the program so as to ensure effectiveness in handling of the various crime types that arise through the course of time. It is of crucial to undertake an evaluation of the program so as to gauge on how often the different programs are subjected to scrutiny to determine their effectiveness to the different situations arising among the various sections of the nation. Evaluation also helps in assessing how the program meets the expectations of the participants. The activity of evaluation helps determine the extent to which the stakeholders are involved in the program (Lab, 2011). The Target Group The group for which the program is designed is very important and helpful in assessing how effective the initiative will be. There should be an understanding of the characteristic of the group. There should be programs that are designed to help in curbing crime among the youths and for the adult population, as well. There should also be programs that are meant to deal with crime in the local community and another program for the densely populated areas like the market places and towns (Bullock, 2010). In the evaluation of the program, the following questions will have to be addressed so as to generate the required results for the program in question (Lab, 2011). Process Evaluation Questions What factors do impact negatively or positively upon the execution of the program? About the design and the execution of the program if is consistent with the best exercise? The group, problem and places targeted by the program. What are the characteristics? Of the intended recipients of the program are they in contact with the program all the time and are they accessing the services that are offered by the program? Is the program currently operational or has it been implemented as initially designed (i.e. Fidelity of the program)? How has the program been resourced? What Cost is associated with the program operations? In the delivery of the major activities how has the program been efficient? Are the governance operating guidelines, arrangements and the legislative frameworks appropriate in the support of the program operations? How can the management of the program, its implementation and the design can be improved? Outcome Evaluation Questions Was there any difference made about the problem sought to be addressed? Having implemented the program what outcomes have been delivered? To what extent has the stated objectives in the program been achieved? What greater term results have been achieved by the program? Who else achieved any form of benefit from the program, as stakeholders, government and program staff? Is there any unintended outcome from the program? What alterations could be made to the program to enhance its effectiveness? Any financial benefits of the program relative to the expenses that acompany the operation of the program? The Evaluation Design The theory-driven approach or Realistic design was employed. Data collection is through critical review of the secondary materials in the form of books, journals and other sources of data relevant to the topic herein being discussed. The gathered information is presented through the use of a Microsoft word document and charts. References Bullock, K. (2010). Situational Prevention of Organised Crimes. Devon: Willan Publishing. Lab, S.P. (2011). Crime prevention: Approaches, Practices, and Evaluations. Waltham: Anderson Publishing. Schneider, S. (2009). Crime Prevention: Theory and Practice. Florida: CRC Press INC. Read More