EBP Simplified

Measure Relevant Processes/Practices

Ideally, every process in a community corrections program directly or indirectly leads to greater offender success.  Is that criminal thinking awareness treatment producing the desired results? Is there a particular criminogenic need that has significantly greater success than others? Measuring results in a program is more than just measuring success rates. Knowledge of the interventions and characteristics that correlate with success is the most important information available to you.

Measurement Law #1:  Evidence Based Principles begin with measurement and analysis of data. Your data can be turned into evidence too.

Measurement Law #2:  Measuring employee performance is just as important as measuring offender performance.

Measurement Law #3:  Statistics are just numbers. Numbers do not become meaningful until they are interpreted.

Measurement Bottom Line:  The goal is always to get better! You do not know if you are getting better unless you are measuring processes and results. If you create a culture of excellence, measurement will be seen as fun and fascinating, not punitive and arbitrary.