Context
Activity is not outcome
Counting contacts, mediations and sessions describes effort. It does not by itself demonstrate that violence changed.
Useful measurement pairs documented activity with outcome data for a defined area and period, and is honest about what the data can and cannot attribute.
Evidence / Literature
What independent evaluation adds
An outside evaluator applies methods the organization does not control and reports findings the organization cannot edit. That separation is what makes a finding usable by funders, city partners and researchers.
The Akron Street Team's independent evaluation is summarized in text and published in full on this site.
Limitations / Areas for Further Study
Reading violence numbers carefully
Violence data is volatile in small areas and short periods. Year-to-year movement can reflect many causes at once, and no single program should claim a whole city's trend.
- State the area and time period being described
- Separate program outcomes from citywide trends
- Report methodology and source alongside the number
- Keep public claims within what the evidence supports