There are a range of programs and services available for victims of crime, but it is important to know if these programs and services are effective. Program evaluation is used to identify what is working well with a program, what could be improved, whether a program meets its goals, and whether a program has an impact. There are four primary types of evaluation: formative, process, summative, and outcome evaluation:
- Formative evaluations are typically conducted in the early stages of the development and implementation of a program; they are used to inform program improvement. Formative evaluations typically include a review of program design documents, the development of a logic model, and stakeholder feedback. They provide information for refining program activities and ensuring that activities are aligned with the program’s goals. Formative evaluations ensure that programs are built on a solid foundation, and they allow for changes to be made early, thus increasing the likelihood of program success.
- Process evaluations are used to determine whether a program is being implemented as planned. Process evaluations are typically conducted throughout a program’s operation to understand how the program is working. They identify any facilitators or challenges to program implementation and can provide information for program improvements.
- Summative evaluations are conducted after a program is completed, or at a critical milestone, to determine if the program worked. Summative evaluations ascertain whether a program achieved its intended goals and objectives by assessing the overall results of the program. They may be used to inform decisions about continuing, expanding, or replicating a program.
- Outcome evaluations are used to determine the impact of a program. Outcome evaluations are conducted after a program is completed. They often involve measuring changes in behaviors, attitudes, or conditions that were expected to be impacted by the program. Ideally, outcome evaluations include a comparison group of individuals who did not participate in the program or receive the service.
Programs and services at every implementation stage can benefit from evaluations, providing information to key stakeholders about any modifications that may be needed to ensure the program or service is implemented as it was designed and is achieving its intended goals.
In a recent report for the National Institute of Justice, Park and Howell (2024) discuss the evaluation of technology-based services for victims of crime. Online services have been touted as a means to mitigate the “justice gap” by providing people with information and helping them find legal assistance. Online services may include educational information (e.g. about victims rights), tools (e.g. form builders), and resources (e.g. a directory of legal assistance providers). Evaluations of online services (sometimes known as “portals”) commonly seek to examine the accessibility of information, the relevance of information, and the impact of that information on users’ ability to resolve their legal issues.
In their discussion of three evaluations of technology-based services, Park & Howell (2024) highlight the utility of formative and process evaluations in understanding program use and informing modifications to program implementation. These evaluations involved reviewing relevant program documents, developing logic models, analyzing preliminary data on chat and text services, and interviewing program staff. Findings from the evaluations provide important information about the design and utility of technology-based services for victims of crime.
The Crime Victims Legal Network grant partners continuously evaluate the efficacy of the NY Crime Victims Legal Help website in providing information and resources to victims of crime in New York State. We do this by reviewing data on website usage, including the pages site visitors access and how much time visitors spend on the site; reviewing the most commonly searched topics in our Legal Help Directory; and conducting focus groups with victim service providers about enhancements to the content and design of the website.
Assessing the impact of the CVLN’s website in helping victims of crime resolve their civil legal problems however, is a challenge. We do not follow-up with site visitors to determine if or how they used the information and resources they found on the site. However, our key goal is not to provide direct service but to help victims find needed information and resources. Website utilization data show that people are increasingly aware of our site: in 2023, there were over 20,000 users of our website, compared to just over 6,000 when we first launched statewide in 2020. As a result of feedback from service providers, the CVLN grant partners have made numerous modifications to the website over the past few years, including enhancements to increase accessibility and the development of additional content. We always welcome additional feedback about our site; please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@cvln.org with any comments.