Issues and Strategies, January 1997 2. The best computers in the world and the most creative and resourceful program administrators and evaluators cannot compensate for data that either are not collected or are of poor quality.
Data comprise the core of any correctional education data system.
Thus, it is critical that adequate resources be devoted to data collection. To many, the collection of correctional education data might initially seem daunting. Inmates transfer between facilities and programs making it difficult to track participants and their educational progress. Even the simplest and best designed data collection efforts take time, time that seems even more valuable when resources are tight. Computerized data collection, certainly the most efficient way to gather information on a routine basis, requires equipment and expertise.