A survey of presidents of 21 local chapters of the California Association of Neurologically Handicapped Children--Association for Children with Learning Disabilities was conducted to investigate improvements in attitudes during the International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP), the positive changes brought about by IYDP community activities, and…

This paper focuses on problems faced and lessons learned in the evaluation of a community crime-reduction program. The program ("Hartford Project"), designed to reduce residential burglary, street robbery, and the fear of those crimes, is briefly described. A multimethod approach to evaluation, which considered each variable in at least…

Using a theoretical model developed from Ajzen's and Fishbein's (1980) theory of reasoned action, researchers investigated the neighboring intentions of community residents toward mentally disabled individuals. A random sample of 345 residents in Winnipeg, Canada, responded to a survey by mail. Questionnaires were randomly assigned one of eight…

A criminal justice system cannot be stronger than its weakest link, and corrections has been the weakest component in our system for far too long. Today's challenge is that of bringing together concerned citizens, public agencies, and private agencies in an effort to create a correctional system that works. Correctional programs can accomplish…

Efforts addressed at the pervasive school dropout problem in New York City received a boost in 1978 with the development of large scale, centrally initiated programs to reduce the number of high school dropouts. Based on the recommendations of two studies, the New York City Board of Education's Division of High Schools established outreach centers…

The extent to which citizens are knowledgeable about and satisfied with major services in their communities is important in effective community development. Quantities as well as quality of services need to be assessed to make a meaningful evaluation of quality of life. To investigate selected institutional services in Hopkins County, Texas, in…

This paper investigates the role of storytelling and other live performances in changing young people's attitudes toward drugs. In particular, it describes a program in Lubbock, Texas which brings anti-drug performances to classrooms and uses narrative forms derived from the folk culture of the audience (Anglo, Spanish, Hispanic, and Navajo). The…

Although the Community Relations Service gets involved in all kinds of disputes arising from discriminatory acts, most of its time is spent responding to difficulties associated with the police, the prisons, employment, and education. Its largest single effort to help resolve school desegregation-related problems took place in a six-month period…

The objective of this paper is to discuss the utilization of Stake's theory of responsive evaluation by a unit in state government charged with the evaluation of the Illinois Migrant Program. Through interviews with state and local Title I staff, we were able to discover program purposes and concerns and to later conceptualize these concerns into…

The report evaluates a project to stimulate dialog between staff and inmates of a Federal penitentiary and members of a nearby community. The purpose was to bring prison and community people together to begin discussion of crime, punishment, rehabilitation, and recidivism in an atmosphere of informed, reflective thought. Nearly 500 people…

Strategies and techniques for developing community-based programs for mentally retarded persons in rural areas must take into consideration local circumstances, resources, and characteristics. Rural norms such as overt racial segregation, social conformity, the importance of church, and the stigma of obtaining human services for personal problems…