Evaluability Assessment in Juvenile Justice: A Case Example

An evaluability assessment of three programs of the Juvenile Justice Commission of the State of New Jersey was undertaken. Operation Hook-Up, the Hudson County YAP Challenge Program, and the Monmouth County Bullying Prevention Project were assessed. This included interviewing program personnel, site visits, reviewing the record-keeping systems, and meeting with the staff of the Juvenile Justice Commission and of the programs. This assessment enabled the researchers to acquire firsthand knowledge of the programs that led to the development of tailored evaluation designs for two programs. This article describes the programs, the assessment, and the bases for our recommendations.