Key Characteristics

To enable evaluators to attribute changes in participants' attitudes and behaviors to the program, the comparison group had to be similar to the group of participant youth from the start of the evaluation in several key factors (e.g., age, race, grade level, history of delinquency, attitudes, and behaviors). Although attempts were made to match youth on key characteristics in Atlanta and Portland, the participant and control groups had some important differences (e.g., history of delinquency). These differences and the small sample sizes made it difficult to attribute with certainty a direct relationship between program participation and the observed outcomes. Implementing rigorous evaluation designs requires considerable planning and, equally important, commitment of time and resources to ensure that the integrity of the design is maintained throughout the course of the evaluation.