ECONOMIC GROWTH AS AN ANTIPOVERTY TOOL: A FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE BACKWASH DEBATE

In: Social science quarterly, Band 50, Heft 3, S. 609-630

Abstract

An exploration through a case example ;o';&ahe,unegrtginties of results associated with even.thp,mosk carefully designed.:& j executed evaluation of an action demonstration program. 'Realistic appraisal of the uncertainties attached to evaluative efforts is important if public officials, admin'ors, & soc sci'ts are to collaborate without disillusionment in obtaining 'hard data' to support changes in soc policy to improve standards of health, educ, & welfare in the US. The case of the -Weekend Rangers Program,' part of the federally supported Boston Youth Opportunities Project & designed to prevent & control JD'cy, is used. A pretest-posttest control group design was adopted to evaluate the project. 84 M's between the ages of 13.5 & 16 under formal or informal supervision of the Juvenile Courts in Roxbury, North Dorchester, & Charlestown sections of Boston at the time of recruitment, stratified by race & probationary status, were randomly assigned to exp'al & control groups. Police record data on the probationer pop were collected. Reporting & monitoring systems, proceedings of staff orientation sessions, & testimonies of participants, camp personnel, & res staff yielded descriptive data on the program as actually implemented. Comparison of 27 treated probationers with 26 probationers serving as controls via fixed-effect, 2-way analysis of variance, using pretest scores as covariate adjustors, gave statistical evidence that the Weekend Rangers Program had no impact-positive or negative-on the value orientations, att's, or self-concept of the treated probationers. Neither race by itself nor race & treatment interacting showed any measurable effects. While group diff's in volume of offenses committed 3 months during the program & in seriousness of offenses committed 6 months after the program came close to the 10% signif level, the diff's in volume of offenses committed 6 months after the program dropped to chance level. Findings are discussed & the importance of exp'tion & evaluation in soc change programs is affirmed. Massive subsidization may be necessary. 5 Tables. M. Maxfield.