ABSTRACT

This chapter starts with a definition of evaluation research and three possible types: programme effectiveness analysis; comparative impact analysis; and cost-benefit analysis. It gives the history of evaluation research in the field of community mediation, and then describes the aims and approach of the Neighbour Dispute project, a research project which compared the costeffectiveness of mediation and alternative measures. An evaluative framework is outlined and the findings of the project examined in terms of four sets of criteria: (1) access to justice issues; (2) quality of process issues; (3) quality of outcome issues; (4) value-for-money issues.