Using Theory in Criminal Justice Evaluation

• Date: 21 May 2012
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1474-7863(2012)0000013005
• Pages: 3-27
• Published date: 21 May 2012
• Author: Brad Astbury

USING THEORY IN CRIMINAL

JUSTICE EVALUATION

Brad Astbury

ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the nature and role of theory in criminal justice

evaluation. A distinction between theories of and theories for evaluation is

offered to clarify what is meant by ‘theory’ in the context of contemporary

evaluation practice. Theories of evaluation provide a set of prescriptions

and principles that can be used to guide the design, conduct and use of

evaluation. Theories for evaluation include programme theory and the

application of social science theory to understand how and why criminal

justice interventions work to generate desired outcomes. The fundamental

features of these three types of theory are discussed in detail, with a

particular focus on demonstrating their combined value and utility for

informing and improving the practice of criminal justice evaluation.

Criminal justice evaluators are confronted with a myriad of choices: What is

the purpose of the evaluation? What are the key evaluation questions? What

is the most appropriate design for the study? What methods should be

employed? What role should I play in this evaluation? Which stakeholders

should be involved? What should be done to ensure that the results are used?

What about the legal, political and ethical challenges that may arise? The

way in which evaluators respond to these kinds of questions seems to

Perspectives on Evaluating Criminal Justice and Corrections

Advances in Program Evaluation, Volume 13, 3–27

Copyright r2012 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited

All rights of reproduction in any form reserved

ISSN: 1474-7863/doi:10.1108/S1474-7863(2012)0000013005

3

depend largely on particular features of the evaluation context, the

information needs of decision-makers, as well as the tacit knowledge and

experience of the evaluator.

Thereappears,though,tobelittlediscussion regarding roles for ‘theory’ in

criminal justice evaluation practice. There has been some debate among

academic criminologists in Australia and the United Kingdom about political

and methodological dimensions of evaluation work and some of this does

touch on issues related to theory (see Farrington, 2003;Hope, 2004;Israel,

2000;Walters, 2003;Weatherburn, 2005). However, explicit consideration of

the nature and functions of theory in criminal justice evaluation is rare. This

could be one of the reasons why some criminologists claim that ev aluation

research is unreliable, ‘lacks academic rigour’ and has been corrupted by

commercialism and political influence (Travers, 2005, p. 39;White, 2001). A

renewed emphasis on theory may go some way towards promoting a more

positive image of criminal justice evaluation.

A major aim of this chapter is to unpack the relationship between theory

and evaluation practice, and in doing so demonstrate how and why theory

matters for practice. I begin by outlining briefly some of the reasons why

evaluation research appears to have adopted a primarily method-driven,

atheoretical orientation. Next I attempt to clarify what is meant by ‘theory’

in the context of contemporary evaluation practice by distinguishing

between theories of and theories for evaluation. Theories of evaluation fall

into the domain of what is commonly referred to as evaluation theory.

Theories for evaluation include programme theory and the application of

substantive social science theory to understand how and why criminal

justice programmes work to generate desired outcomes. The central features

of these various kinds of ‘practising theory’ are discussed in turn, with

particular emphasis on demonstrating the role each type of theory can play

in guiding the conduct of criminal justice evaluation.

HISTORICAL NEGLECT OF THEORY IN

EVALUATION

The traditional neglect of theory in evaluation practice can be viewed, in

the main, as a by-product of the historical development of programme

evaluation (Chen, 1990). Compared to many other areas of social science,

programme evaluation is still a relatively young discipline. Although

systematic evaluation, particularly in the field of education and curriculum

BRAD ASTBURY4