Selection process

Model programs are selected on the basis of four criteria:

• Evidence of significant deterrent effects. A program must show sufficient data in reducing the effects of the behavioral outcomes it is addressing, such as aggression, violence, drug use, or conduct disorder.
• Strong research design. The scientific data must be collected using evaluation designs that give researchers high confidence in the findings. Evaluation designs that are considered to be the strongest are random assignment studies—those in which participants are assigned by lottery or chance to either an experimental group or a control group. All of the 11 Blueprints model programs used such studies. However, the advisory board also will consider research studies that use a well-matched control group design. An example of this might be one school assigned to serve as the experimental group, and another school assigned to serve as the control group because it is matched on several important demographic factors, such as ethnicity, percentage of students receiving free school lunches, and similar levels of drug use or aggressive behavior among the students.
• Sustained effects. A program must demonstrate sustained effects at least one year beyond the treatment phase.
• Multiple site replication. In order to ensure that the positive effects of the program are not the result of a charismatic leader or mere coincidence, a program must be replicated in at least one site with positive effects.

How is Blueprints unique?

Often schools and communities are bombarded with information about youth violence and substance abuse prevention programs that developers claim are proven to be effective. Indeed, the words “Proven Results!” typically appear front and center on a program package or sales literature. But how can a school know about the quality of the research that found such results?

According to Ms. Mihalic, communities can have a great deal of confidence that the Blueprints model programs have strong scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse. “Our standards are so high that you know these programs have been done well,” she explained.

In addition, Blueprints puts a strong focus on quality implementation. “Because we had a grant from OJJDP to replicate and disseminate the model programs, we helped the program designers build their dissemination capacity. This grant enabled us to learn about the many factors that must be present for successful implementation of these programs,” she explained.

“It’s not enough to just adopt a program, a site has to develop a certain level of capacity before they can even begin. If sites try to pull in programs without the proper readiness and oversight, and just haphazardly begin to implement it, they won’t achieve the results that the original model achieved. We help designers build their capacity to deliver the programs, and sites build their capacity to implement them successfully.”

For more information, Ms. Mihalic recommends Blue-prints for Violence Prevention Replications: Factors for Implementation Success (2002). This report can be ordered by calling (303) 492-8465, or by visiting www.colorado.edu/cspv/publications/blueprints/
BP-IMP.html.