The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan (EFry): A Proposal to Evaluate the Court Worker Program
Brief Background
Through a number of programs, the EFry society of Saskatoon offers a variety of services and support for women who come into conflict with the law. The current evaluation proposal will focus on one of the programs that EFry offers, the Court Worker (CW) program.
The primary goal of the CW program is to make their clients’ progress through the Criminal Justice System (CJS) “more humane” by providing information about the court and justice system (e.g., what to expect in court, clarification of sentence and charges) as well as support to the person in conflict with the law (e.g., through referrals, counseling, child care arrangements). Incarcerated women in Canada often have a lower education than incarcerated men as well as the general Canadian population (Statistics Canada, 2008; http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/85-002-x2008001-eng.pdf) indicating a need to clarify the CJS and its court procedures to those who are charged with an offense. Additionally, each female entering the CJS is an individual in that they have different backgrounds, responsibilities, living situations, income levels, etc.. Thus, each woman requires individualized services and support – something that EFry attempts to provide to women through their CW program.
Who should be involved? How will they be engaged?
Those who deliver the services and run the program. Staff and volunteers from EFry receive training regarding court procedures, the criminal justice system, substance abuse, aboriginal and status of women issues, as well as community resources available. Following this training, the staff and volunteers are in the courts daily, supporting and educating women about the CJS process. Their input regarding the delivery of the program will be integral in determining whether or not the program is being implemented as intended. Confidentiality is a high priority at EFry, thus the staff and volunteers will facilitate recruitment of clients who are willing to be participants in the current evaluation. Board directors will also help ensure that volunteers and staff are aware that the evaluation is being conducted and to encourage the staff and volunteers to facilitate the evaluation whenever possible (e.g., recruitment).
Those who receive the services. Clients who receive support services and information regarding the CJS process will also be engaged in the evaluation process. Willing participants will be asked to complete a CJS Understanding questionnaire, which will assess the degree to which clients understand the CJS and court process prior to their engagement with the court as well as following the delivery of EFry’s services. This questionnaire will be developed alongside the directors and staff to ensure that it accesses information that is provided to clients through the CW program (e.g., sentencing practices and options). Semi-structured interviews will also be conducted with participants to evaluate their needs (e.g., is childcare required, is transportation to court proceedings required, etc.) before EFry’s delivery of support services. The same semi-structured interview will again be performed following the delivery of support services however additional questions will be included to evaluate whether or not the client feels that her support needs were met and what could be done to improve these services.
The focus the evaluation. What questions will the evaluation seek to answer? What type of evaluation will you use?
Please refer to the attached logic model to help clarify the focus of the proposed goals- and outcome-based evaluation. The primary purpose of the evaluation will be to determine whether or not clients’ understanding of the CJS is improved through the services that EFry offers as well as if EFry is meeting their clients’ support needs during the CJS process.
In brief, the evaluation will seek to answer the following questions:
1. Are clients gaining a better understanding of the CJS process?
a. What are the common areas of clients’ misunderstanding of the CJS process?
b. Is sufficient information provided to clients or are there areas/aspects of the CJS process that require further elaboration and clarification by staff and volunteers?
2. Are clients’ support needs being met to their satisfaction?
a. What are common needs among clients?
b. Are there needs and/or support services that most clients access? (Should funding and/or resources to this/these services be increased?)
c. Are there needs and/or support services that most clients do not access? (Should funding and/or resources to this/these services be reduced?)
To answer the above-mentioned questions, clients’ understanding of the CJS process is required prior to the delivery of EFry services as well as following the delivery of services. Additionally, clients’ support needs must be assessed both prior to, and following the implementation of support. To determine whether or not clients’ understanding of the CJS process is increased and that their support needs are met to their satisfaction, a comparison between their pre- and post-program responses on the questionnaire and interviews will be required. For example, if their understanding of the CJS process is increased, clients should be able to provide more information regarding sentencing practices and options as well as increased knowledge about the types and quantity of community services and support. If clients’ support needs are met, their post-program responses during the semi-structured interview should indicate that most, if not all of the needs they discussed during the pre-program interview were met. Clients’ satisfaction with the program should also be high (rated on a Likert-type scale).
Who will use the evaluation? How will they use it?
Performing the current evaluation will help determine if EFry is in fact making the CJS process “more humane” by educating their clients and providing support services based on each individual’s needs. The results of the evaluation will also inform the society about areas of misunderstanding that women have regarding the CJS process and may identify areas where more information and training is needed for staff, volunteers and future clients. Common, wide-spread needs of clients may also be identified through the evaluation which would help EFry determine what community resources and support services are required the most to help make decisions regarding the allotment of resources and money in the future. One of the principles of the Canadian Association of EFry societies is to develop policies, positions and acts based on the common needs and interests affecting women in Canada. Thus, information to help develop these policies and acts will also be obtained through the evaluation.
