Audit Reports: 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993

2013 Reports

• Update of our Review of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) Logic Model
• Status Report on Implementation of Office of City Auditor Recommendations as of October 2012
• Logic Model and Evaluation Strategy for the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI)

March 22, 2013
Update of our Review of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) Logic Model

Focus:  City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, requested that the Office of City Auditor comment on the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) logic model submitted to the Committee on February 27, 2013 by the City of Seattle’s Office of Education. 

Results:  After we reviewed the logic model and discussed it with SYVPI officials and Dr. Todd Herrenkohl from the University of Washington’s School of Social Work, who has been providing volunteer consulting assistance to SYVPI, we concluded that the questions and issues that we raised in our January 31 memo about the SYVPI logic model still remain to be answered.  For example, we have questions about whether there is a clear linkage between the seven SYVPI strategies and its two long-term outcomes measures (e.g., 50% reductions in referrals to Juvenile Court and middle school suspensions and expulsions).  However, our discussions with SYVPI officials and Dr. Herrenkohl led us to the following agreements:

• “Phase One” of the Evaluation:  The evaluation “readiness review” proposed in our January 31, 2013 memo to the City Council represents the first steps that a skilled evaluator would take in conducting an evaluation.  We agreed that it will be important to proceed with these steps, including responding to the 13 questions raised in our memo, and to check-in with the City Council about the implications of the readiness review.
  
  
• Logic Model:  This logic model could be used as a starting point for “Phase One” of the evaluation, which will include an examination of the 13 questions raised in our previous memo.

February 7, 2013
Status Report on Implementation of Office of City Auditor Recommendations as of October 2012 

Focus: To report on the implementation status as of October 2012 of recommendations from audit reports issued by our office from January 2007 through September 2012. 

Results:   We reviewed the implementation status as of October 2012 of 311 recommendations contained in 35 audit reports issued by our office from January 2007 through September 2012.  As of October 2012, 64 percent of our recommendations (200 out of 311) were implemented, 26 percent (80 out of 311) were pending, and 10 percent (31 out of 311) did not warrant further follow-up.  The report also discusses our process for tracking and following up on audit recommendations, and lists each recommendation by audit report title, recommendation description, implementation status, and date of implementation.

January 31, 2013
Logic Model and Evaluation Strategy for the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI)

Focus:  In a 2013-2014 budget green sheet the City Council requested that the Office of City Auditor develop a logic model and evaluation strategy for the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI). 

Results:  After we created a logic model for SYVPI, it raised a number of questions about the feasibility of conducting an overall evaluation of SYVPI at this time.  Our logic model could not explain the linkages between the major problem SYVPI is seeking to address, the strategies, and the outcomes measures, which are to reduce 1) juvenile court referrals and 2) middle school suspensions and expulsions.  Furthermore, we learned that due to the expedited planning process resulting from the City’s desire to respond quickly to the five youth homicides, SYVPI was based on a limited assessment that incorporated community input but examined and compiled data on only a few indicators of the youth violence problem.  Therefore, as the next step in the evaluation process, we propose to engage a research partner to conduct an Evaluation-Readiness Review that would address the questions.   An Evaluation-Readiness Review could also help clarify program goals and assess implementation issues (e.g., how are service providers documenting their activities?). In addition, we determined that in 2013 we can engage research partners to conduct stand-alone reviews of two components of SYVPI: 1) street outreach and 2) school emphasis officers.  This work could occur at the same time as the Evaluation-Readiness Review.