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Valuing developmental crime prevention

Description:
Economic evaluation of crime prevention-focused early intervention programs have generally been carried out by using analytic methods such as cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and cost-savings. The authors argue that there are significant gaps in these types of analyses and propose an alternate model which uses multicritera analysis to address complex crime prevention policy problems. This adapted analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method enables the ranking of priorities for alternative interventions that are considered to enhance quality of life and allows decision makers to separately identify the value of all the types of outcomes associated with such interventions. Five forms of early prevention programs are analyzed in this study: structured preschool programs (SPP); home visitation programs (HV); center based childcare/developmental day care (CBCC); family/parent support (FSS); and parent programs (PE). Data were collected by using two independent surveys seeking to gain information about selected stakeholders' perceptions regarding the childhood program types and the importance of specific outcome domains. Participants were based in Australia and represented policy development personnel, preschool/school leaders, academics expert in developmental crime prevention and early childhood education, and senior community agency staff. The authors conclude that the adapted model of evaluation they have presented and tested in this study provides for better policy decisions. Ways in which this method might be adopted in other areas, as well as its weaknesses, are discussed.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
Australia

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