Making the Next Step: Using Evaluability Assessment to Improve Correctional Programming

Abstract

The research on what works in correctional interventions provides a powerful agenda for correctional programming. Evaluability assessment is a tool that can be used to help put this research into practice by providing a measure of program quality. This article describes Gendreau and Andrews's Correctional Program Assessment Inventory (CPAI) as one example of an evaluability assessment tool that is designed to ascertain how well programs are meeting certain principles of effective intervention. It also reports the results of CPAIs conducted on 86 treatment programs. The results indicate that these programs are not adequately incorporating the principles into their correctional programming. Common shortcomings are discussed, and potential resolutions are offered.