The seven articles that follow this introduction put the discussion of particular criminal justice programs into the context of public policy and focus on the effects of a "get tough" approach. The importance of theory and policy in program evaluation cannot be ignored. (SLD)

Some of the confusion surrounding evaluations of case management results from lack of clarity about value frames used to arrive at judgments of the merit of case management. Six value frames commonly applied to human service evaluation are reviewed, and the relevance of each perspective is examined. (SLD)

The political context of evaluation is compared for the United States and developing countries, and a framework is proposed for discussing the political context of evaluation. Significant differences are the role that international donor agencies play in developing countries and the emphasis on stakeholder evaluation in the United States. (SLD)

Contrasts different methods of evaluating aid programs to small and medium enterprises. Methods focus on the relationship between beneficiaries and program implementers to explore the role intangible relational means play in specific cultural contexts. (SLD)

This article promotes the use of contextual constructionism in evaluation research. The call for truth in sentencing in Tennessee (and across the country) is used to illustrate the conflict among stakeholders that arises from program evaluation and to show how their multiple realities make a contextual constructionist approach pertinent. (SLD)

A framework for evaluation of computer technology innovation in schools is described. The framework draws on theory and research concerning student learning, innovations, technology, and new evaluation approaches. A formative evaluation framework used at two elementary schools largely serving disadvantaged, minority students provides an…

A trilevel (macro, intermediate, and micro) analytical framework was used to determine problems in the organizational context that reduce or impede the application of training outcomes. A law enforcement job-skill training program was studied via survey responses of 322 course graduates. Factor analyses identified predictors of training use. (SLD)