About CrimeSolutions.gov
The Office of Justice Programs’ CrimeSolutions.gov uses rigorous research to inform practitioners and policy makers about what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.
On CrimeSolutions.gov you will find:
How does CrimeSolutions.gov decide which programs to rate?
How does CrimeSolutions.gov conduct reviews and ratings?
What are the evidence ratings on CrimeSolutions.gov?
Who are CrimeSolutions.gov’s Reviewers?
How should CrimeSolutions.gov be used?
How do I provide feedback or express concerns about an evidence rating on CrimeSolutions.gov?
How does CrimeSolutions.gov decide which programs to rate?
Potential justice-related programs are identified through:
- Literature searches of relevant databases, journals, and publications, or
- Nominations from experts, practitioners, or others.
Before a program’s evidence is reviewed and rated, the program is screened to determine whether it meets CrimeSolutions.gov’s criteria for inclusion on the Web site. This includes a thorough review of the program (does it fall within the scope of CrimeSolutions.gov?) and the strength of the available research about the program (can we determine with confidence whether it works?). The final determination as to whether a program’s evidence is reviewed is made by CrimeSolutions.gov Lead Researchers.
Read more about: Program Review and Rating from Start to Finish or Nominate a Program for CrimeSolutions.gov.
How does CrimeSolutions.gov conduct reviews and ratings?
Once it is established that a program meets CrimeSolutions.gov screening criteria, Study Reviewers analyze the most rigorous evaluation research available to assess the quality, strength, and extent of the evidence that indicates the program achieves its goals. The studies selected for review comprise the program’s evidence base. The reviewers use a standard Scoring Instrument for each study reviewed and assign scores across four dimensions:
- Program’s Conceptual Framework
- Study Design Quality
- Study Outcomes
- Program Fidelity
Read more about: Program Review and Rating from Start to Finish or see the Scoring Instrument.
What are the evidence ratings on CrimeSolutions.gov?
Based on the Study Reviewers’ assessment of the evidence, programs included on CrimeSolutions.gov are rated as either Effective, Promising, or No Effects.
| Evidence Ratings |
| Evidence Rating |
Icon* |
Description |
| One Study |
More than One Study |
| Effective |
 |
 |
Programs have strong evidence indicating they achieve their intended outcomes when implemented with fidelity. |
| Promising |
 |
 |
Programs have some evidence indicating they achieve their intended outcomes. Additional research is recommended. |
| No Effects |
 |
 |
Programs have strong evidence indicating that they did not achieve their intended outcomes when implemented with fidelity. |
* A single study icon is used to identify programs that have been evaluated with only one study. A multiple studies icon is used to represent a greater extent of evidence supporting the evidence rating. The icon depicts programs that have more than one study in the evidence base demonstrating effects in a consistent direction.
Read more about: Program Review and Rating from Start to Finish.
Who are CrimeSolutions.gov’s Reviewers?
CrimeSolutions.gov reviewers are subject-matter and research methodology experts who assess the research evidence to determine whether a program achieves its goals. All CrimeSolutions.gov reviewers must complete training and receive certification prior to becoming a Study Reviewer. Each justice topic area has a designated Lead Researcher who serves a leadership role in selecting the studies that comprise a program’s evidence base and coordinating the review process. The Lead Researcher assigns two Study Reviewers to assess the evaluation research for each program under consideration by CrimeSolutions.gov. The Study Reviewers use a standard Scoring Instrument to independently assess and score the evidence of a program’s effectiveness. Any significant scoring discrepancies between reviewers are resolved and consensus is achieved prior to a program being assigned a final evidence rating.
For a list of CrimeSolutions.gov Researchers and Reviewers see CrimeSolutions.gov Researchers and Reviewers.
Read more about: Program Review and Rating from Start to Finish
How should CrimeSolutions.gov be used?
CrimeSolutions.gov is intended to be a central, reliable, and credible resource to help practitioners and policy makers understand what works in justice-related programs and practices. It is intended to assist in practical decision making and program implementation. CrimeSolutions.gov recognizes that rigorous evaluation evidence is one of several factors to consider in justice programming and policy decisions. CrimeSolutions.gov is NOT an exhaustive list of all justice-related programs, and a program’s inclusion on this site does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice (read more).
Read more about: Tips for Using CrimeSolutions.gov.
How do I provide feedback or express concerns about an evidence rating on CrimeSolutions.gov?
The program information and ratings included on CrimeSolutions.gov are not static. As additional programs are identified and new research becomes available, CrimeSolutions.gov content will be updated and supplemented to reflect the most current programmatic information and research available. We also rely on users to provide us with critical feedback about the CrimesSolutions.gov Web site. What is useful and what is not? What additional features would you like to see on the site in the future? Do you have concerns about programs’ evidence ratings or information contained on CrimeSolutions.gov? You can send us your thoughts via Submit Feedback.
If necessary, changes to the information presented on the site will be made, per the Updating an Evidence Rating process. Rationale and documentation explaining any rating changes will be posted on the Web site.
Read more about: Updating an Evidence Rating.
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