Using Evidence Gap Mapping to Improve Data-driven Crime Prevention and Policymaking

• In Event: Using a Global Evidence Gap Mapping Process to Examine the Effectiveness of Youth Violence Prevention and Intervention Approaches for Use in Latin American and Caribbean Contexts

Abstract

Evidence gap mapping is a growing method used to inform decision making when creating policies, identifying programs, and developing guidelines to produce maximum impact. This method provides a systematic framework for identifying existing evidence from meta-analyses and systematic reviews in a particular area and reveals gaps where little or no evidence is available. Visual maps are used to identify absolute gaps; areas with little evidence as well as (2) synthesis gaps; areas with a concentration of individual evaluations but little synthesis of what these individual studies mean. The research team used systematic reviews, systematic reviews with meta-analyses, rapid evidence assessments, and research syntheses produced anywhere in the world between 2000 and 2017 and examined violence prevention intervention outcomes affecting 10-29 year old youth. This session will present on the methodology used to identify evidence for effective violence prevention strategies in the Latin American Caribbean region in particular and informed by research in other regions of the World. We will discuss the framework created to identify, screen, and select eligible studies, and code them as well as the indicators used to assess the implementation quality and research design of the studies.

Authors

• Manolya Tanyu, American Institutes for Research

• Thomas De Hoop, American Institutes for Research