Despite the growing availability of information on effective drug and violence prevention programmes, schools continue to use programmes that have not been proven effective. Some are using model programmes, but have changed the content or design enough so that the features that made them effective are gone. Or worse, they continue to use programmes that have been proven ineffective simply because that is what is easiest, or most familiar. The school shootings over the last few years are solid reminders that schools can no longer do just anything and call it adequate prevention. It is more critical than ever to learn from the examination of previous prevention efforts and not make the same mistakes a second time in this new arena of violence prevention.
Cynthia R. Knowles works nationally helping schools, agencies, and businesses maximize the effectiveness of their prevention programs through student and employee training, curriculum review, data analysis, awareness education, and program evaluation. She works as the Health and Wellness Coordinator at Livonia Central School, Livonia, New York; as a lecturer at the State University of New York at Geneseo; as a supervisor of student teachers in health education at the State University of New York at Cortland; and as a professional ski instructor. Previously she has been the Director of Rehabilitation for a 135-bed homeless shelter, a psychotherapist for adolescents and their families, and a regional coordinator for the Safe and Drug Free Schools grant program. Through articles and training seminars, she advocates for truth, accuracy, and youth involvement in the field of violence and substance abuse. She teaches participants to question their sources and to validate all information before passing it on. Her politics are simple: She believes that all of us-parents, teachers, and neighbors-have the ability to change the world significantly through our interactions with youth. She believes in prayer and miracles but is still slightly superstitious and overinsured. Cynthia welcomes your feedback, especially your experiences, chal-lenges, insights, and successes with using this book for program evaluation.
Getting Started Establishing Your Work Group Writing Goals and Objectives Program Review, Selection, and Implementation Creating Homegrown Programs Elements of Effective Prevention Additional Data Collection Preparing for Assessment of Program Effectiveness Self-Report Questionnaires and Focus Groups Collecting Information From Students Cost and Time Effectiveness Experimental Design - The Basics Experimental Designs for Different Program Types Crunching Your Numbers and Organizing Your Data Public Presentation of Your Results Troubleshooting Your Results
"Easy to read and understand, with a wealth of resource ideas. Very helpful for even a novice to understand and lead school and community groups through developing a practical prevention plan." -- Jane Todey "A good beginning tool for those in need to get the job done immediately." -- Bertha Caldwell "Knowles does a fine job of reaching her goal of providing a practical and accessible book for the practitioner charged with selecting, implementing, and evaluating prevention programs in two problem areas that dramatically affect the health of our children." -- Contemporary Psychology APA Review of Books, April 2003
