Most evaluations conducted by court-connected programs have been limited to parentsatisfaction
data and children’s feedback. Some programs, such as Kids Turn, have forged
collaborations with universities to conduct evaluation studies. This program, founded by a
judge, is an example of the benefits of interdisciplinary partnerships to extend preventive
outreach to families and communities. In general, evaluations of children’s programs vary
in depth, use of reliable measures, and control groups, but an increasing number of programs
recognize the need for ongoing evaluation (Kearnes, Gordon, & Arbuthnot, 1991;
Fischer, 1999; Oliphant, Brown, Cambron, & Yankeelov, 2002)