About CrimeSolutions.gov

Tips for Using CrimeSolutions.gov

Finding a program to replicate

One of the reasons that the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) created CrimeSolutions.gov is to encourage justice practitioners to replicate programs with a track record of success, when it is reasonable and feasible to do so. Programs rated as "Effective" and "Promising" on CrimeSolutions.gov have produced positive results in the past. Replicating programs that have been shown to work and that fit a community’s needs has the potential to save valuable time and resources compared to implementing untested programs that may or may not address the same problems as effectively.

If you want to replicate a successful program, you have to plan carefully and pay attention to details to accurately reproduce critical program elements that often include specific procedures, personnel qualifications, and client characteristics. The best way to get similar positive results from these programs is to replicate them with fidelity—using the same procedures, with the same kinds of people, and in the same kinds of settings.

Each program description on CrimeSolutions.gov includes summary information for the program and additional external resources (for example, points of contact and published materials) that may help you replicate the program. You should view CrimeSolutions.gov as a starting point. From here, you may be able to find additional supporting information for many programs, including dedicated Web sites, publications, implementation manuals, training materials, live training, and even certification. Some of these resources are free, but some are not. If you do some homework, you can find a program that meets your needs.

Finding a program to adapt

If you find a "Promising" or "Effective" program on CrimeSolutions.gov that you want to put in place in your community or organization, ideally you should try to replicate all program elements with fidelity as described above. You may lessen the likelihood of achieving similar success if you adapt or modify program content or characteristics because changes may affect program outcomes in unknown ways.

However, well-tested programs simply do not exist for all circumstances and populations. Even some programs that have been tested and are identified as "Promising" or "Effective" do not have detailed training materials that specify all aspects of implementation. In these cases, what should you do? If you are a justice practitioner, you have probably become accustomed to adapting or improvising in the face of difficult problems without readily available solutions. Rather than building a new program from scratch, you can use tested programs as your foundation and make as few adjustments as possible to increase the chances that your modified program will succeed. You can also help others in your field by carefully documenting your changes and pairing your program implementation with a rigorous evaluation. The evaluation findings and lessons learned from your modifications may help your peers who face similar challenges.

Informing funding priorities

If you are in the position to influence funding for justice programs, the information contained on CrimeSolutions.gov may help to inform your priorities. Investing in programs with demonstrated track records makes sense regardless of whether funding comes from public or private sources. Similarly, it makes sense to carefully review and possibly discontinue programs when rigorous evaluation has shown the programs failed to produce their intended results.

During these times of limited resources, funding decisions should be made with great care and caution. Note that CrimeSolutions.gov is not intended to be a list of worthy and unworthy investments. It remains important for funders to support innovative approaches and to consider factors beyond evidence of effectiveness. In some cases, a program may be viewed as "mission-critical" even if it has not yet demonstrated results. In other cases, issues such as cost or ease of implementation may factor into funding decisions. In situations where there is no available alternative with a successful track record, it may make more sense to try to improve the existing program and increase confidence in its effectiveness rather than to simply discontinue funding. Funders can contribute to the growing body of evidence-based programs by pairing funding for innovative and untested approaches with rigorous evaluation.

Identifying programs or areas of practice in need of further evaluation

If you are looking for potential research topics, CrimeSolutions.gov is a great resource. Many of the programs rated as "Promising" are candidates for more rigorous evaluation. Even many of the programs rated as "Effective" may benefit from further inquiry to better understand their strengths and limitations. You can also use CrimeSolutions.gov to note the absence of "Promising" or "Effective" programs in certain topics or areas of practice. In these areas, there may be fewer rigorous studies that establish a clear causal relationship between program implementation and intended, justice-related outcomes. Additional research in these areas would likely be of significant benefit to the field.

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).