Planning/Preparation. The measure involves examining documents or program materials used for public education, interviewing judges and court staff who are involved in public education activities, and summarizing the data qualitatively for each category of public education identified on the checklist. A public information specialist and a knowledgeable court employee work together to gather and summarize data. The court employee adds efficiency and expertise to the processes of collecting documents and identifying people to interview while the public education specialist enhances the efficiency of summarizing relevant data and putting it into perspective in terms of cost and effectiveness. An alternative approach is to have court employees complete, collect and summarize the data. The employees then consult with a public information specialist for a formative review of the completeness and relevance of the summary. If necessary, they meet with the specialist a second time for evaluative comments about how the court’s actual practices compare with the range of dissemination activities available.

Data Collection. Court employees assisting with the measure first gather all public education documents (including any audio/visual media presentations) and compile a list of activities based on the checklist shown in Form 4.4.3a, Checklist of Potential Community Outreach Efforts: Organizational Efforts. The court employee and public information specialist team then review the documents and other information to determine what interviews are needed to gather more detailed information about how the documents have been used or how activities are carried out. Optimally, the public information specialist assists in scheduling interviews and leads the interviews. As the research team conducts interviews to identify education materials, they may also conduct interviews to assess court employees’ public education and outreach activities (see Form 4.4.3 b, Checklist of Potential Community Outreach Efforts: Individual Efforts). This checklist covers activities carried out by individuals in the court on their own initiative. Additional interviews with judges, court managers, program specialists, and probation staff then are needed to supplement the information on individual activities. Each major division of the court is reviewed separately.

The research team briefly summarizes the data collected from the document reviews and the interviews in qualitative terms for each checklist item. A separate report for each court division or major program is prepared. Some methods of dissemination may not be used at all in the court, some may be used very little, and some may be used extensively. Quantitative data should supplement the qualitative description where appropriate. For example, the quantity of brochures printed and distributed is relevant information, as are the frequency and duration of public service announcements or public speaking engagements.

The checklist provides an inventory of community outreach approaches used by the court (e.g., brochures, videos, public appearances, public service announcements, adult education programs, tours of facilities, posting of notices, and second direct mailings). In general, the more approaches used, the more diverse the impact of the court’s outreach efforts. The summary for each checklist should include: