Evaluating Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Selected by the Illinois Department of Human Services to evaluate its state-funded sexual assault and domestic violence programs in 1998, the authors of this text detail some of the lessons they learned from conducting that evaluation. Coming from the fields of psychology, criminal justice, and social work, they collectively stress both qualitative and quantitative methods of evaluation. They discuss the special considerations that evaluators should keep in mind when assessing programs dealing with sexual assault and attempt to convince service providers of the value of evaluation. They explore the social and political context of evaluation, look at practical concerns surrounding the conduct of evaluation, and apply lessons from their own evaluation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR