Category: Criminal Justice Policy Analysis And Program Eval

Exam Content
Once a criminal justice professional has completed a program or policy evaluation, they may identify a problem that needs to be addressed. They will need to apply problem-solving skills to address it, and there are many problem-solving methods a criminal justice professional can choose from. Consistently selecting the appropriate strategy for a problem will not only improve program and policy outcomes, but also improve operations management overall. 
In this assessment, you will analyze the intersection of problem-solving and policy evaluation, while also addressing ethical considerations.
Preparation
Research problem-solving models and consider how you could use these models to evaluate criminal justice issues or programs.
Select a local, state, or federal criminal justice policy and research it. This could be the policy you researched and analyzed in Weeks 1–3 or select a different policy of your choice. Potential topics include: 
Stand your ground policy/castle doctrine
Registries for individuals who have committed sexual offenses
No bail policy/bail reform 
Plea bargaining
Three-strikes policies
Counterterrorism policies
Note: Speak with your faculty member if you need assistance selecting a policy for this assessment.
Assessment Deliverable
Create a 12- to 15-slide presentation in which you explain how your selected problem-solving model can be applied to evaluating a criminal justice policy. This presentation will be included in a workshop for new hires who will be evaluating criminal justice policies and programs.
Address the following in your presentation:
Explain the value of evaluating criminal justice policies. 
Summarize the criminal justice policy selected. 
Specify whether the policy is applicable in local, state, or federal contexts.
Include relevant details about the criminal justice policy’s purpose and its relevance to contemporary criminal justice issues. 
Analyze the ethical considerations regarding the policy. Include relevant details about: 
The advantages and challenges of the policy
The public perception toward the policy
The success of the policy in curbing criminal offenses
Any unintended outcomes or consequences of the policy
A problem or issue with the policy that needs a resolution
Summarize the problem-solving model you selected for evaluation. Consider reviewing the problem-solving resources in the Assessment Support section. 
Explain how the problem-solving model can be used to evaluate and/or address ethical concerns related to the policy. 
Describe the process and intended outcomes of applying the problem-solving model to resolve the identified policy issue. 
Include speaker notes with your presentation.
Cite 2 scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook.
Format your citations and references according to APA guidelines.

Exam Content
As a criminal justice professional, you may be required to perform a program evaluation or conduct policy research and analysis and deliver actionable conclusions. Familiarity with evaluation strategies will help you design an effective assessment and collect meaningful information on programs and policies.
This week you will synthesize what you have learned about policy analysis and program evaluation to develop an evaluation proposal.
Preparation
Review your Weeks 1 and 2 assignments.
Assessment Deliverable
Create a 1,050- to 1,400-word proposal in which you present your plan for a program evaluation for your selected criminal justice program. Develop your proposal from the perspective of a criminal justice professional proposing an evaluation plan and strategies to a supervisor. 
Use the following headings in your proposal and address the following prompts: 
Program Evaluation Planning: Model and Methods Selection 
Briefly summarize the criminal justice program (e.g., mission, goals, objectives) you selected in Week 1.  PROGRAM  BODY WORN CAMERA 
Explain which program evaluation model (i.e., embedded evaluation model or the SARA model) you will use to conduct the evaluation. Justify your choice by explaining why the model is most suitable for the program evaluation. 
Explain the program evaluation method(s) (e.g., formative, summative, qualitative, quantitative, mixed method) you will use to analyze the program. Justify your choice by explaining why your selected method is most suitable for the program evaluation. 
Program Evaluation Planning: Evaluation Questions Creation
Create 2 or 3 evaluation questions you intend to answer as a result of conducting the program evaluation. Provide rationale for each question. 
Program Evaluation Planning: Survey Tool Creation
Design a 3- or 4-question survey to collect data related to the evaluation questions you created. Note: Refer to Exhibit III-4, “Tips for Developing Surveys and Survey Questions,” on p. 62 of “Measuring Excellence: Planning and Managing Evaluations of Law Enforcement Initiatives” from the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). 
Explain who will take the survey. 
Explain what you hope to discover as a result of administering the survey.
Identify challenges you may face in conducting the survey or reviewing survey results.
Policy Evaluation Explanation 
Briefly summarize the criminal justice policy that you selected in Week 1 that is related to the program outcomes. Explain how research or analysis of your selected criminal justice policy is related to your proposed program evaluation. 
Call To Action/Collaborative Approach to Evaluation
Recommend 1 or 2 action steps the supervisor should take after reviewing your evaluation plan. 
Cite 2 scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook.
Format your citations and references according to APA guidelines.