Three alternative techniques are utilized for evaluation of a law enforcement experiment.
(I) forecasting holding the experimental variables constant to compare with the observed
time series, (2) interrupted time series analysis, and (3) contrasting observed experimental
results with a controlled environment. Each of the first two have theoretical or practical
weaknesses
noted in the literature of econometrics and sociometries. The third approach
is to construct, from a set of 72 alternatives, a control group appropriate to the circum
stances of the test for the purpose of evaluation. A technique is presented for selecting the
best quasi-control group. This technique should find suitable application in situations in
which the first two alternatives would be inappropriate. Test results do not differ sig
nificantly among the three alternatives.
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