Dean F. Duncan

Supporting self-evaluation in local government via Knowledge Discovery and Data mining

Abstract The business sector has already recognized the importance of information flow for good management, with many businesses adopting new technology in data mining and data warehousing for intelligent operation based on free flow of information. Free flow of information in government agencies is just as important. For example, in child welfare, entities that fund social services programs have increasingly demanded improved outcomes for clients in return for continued financial support. To this end, most child welfare agencies are paying more attention to the outcomes of children in their care. In North Carolina, many county departments of social services have successfully adopted the self-evaluation model to monitor the effects of their programs on the outcomes of children. Such efforts in self-evaluation require good information flow from state division of social services to county departments of social services. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive KDD (Knowledge Discovery and Data mining) information system that could upgrade information flow in government agencies. We present the key elements of the information system and demonstrate how such a system could be successfully implemented via a case study in North Carolina. The next generation infrastructure in digital government must incorporate such information system to enable effective information flow in government agencies without compromising individual privacy.

Informing Child Welfare Policy and Practice : Using Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Technology via a Dynamic Web Site

Proper management and implementation of an effective child welfare agency requires the constant use of information about the experiences and outcomes of children involved in the system, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, timely, and accurate data. In the past 20 years, there have been many advances in technology that can maximize the potential of administrative data to promote better evaluation and management in the field of child welfare. Specifically, this article discusses the use of knowledge discovery and data mining (KDD), which makes it possible to create longitudinal data files from administrative data sources, extract valuable knowledge, and make the information available via a user-friendly public Web site. This article demonstrates a successful project in North Carolina where knowledge discovery and data mining technology was used to develop a comprehensive set of child welfare outcomes available through a public Web site to facilitate information sharing of child welfare data to improve policy and practice.

Felonious Arrests of Former Foster Care and TANF-Involved Youth

Income assistance programs (e.g., Temporary Assistance to Needy Families; TANF) and child welfare service (CWS) programs have implicit intentions to prepare children for an adulthood that is free from serious criminal activity. This cross-sectional study compares the felonious arrests as adults of youth who were involved with TANF (n = 6,596) with those who were involved with CWS (n = 1316). In the CWS population, we compare youth who emancipated from foster care (n = 841), those who reunified (n =278), and those with other exits (n = 197). Outcomes of interest include the severity of the felony an individual was charged with as an adult as well as the hazard of being arrested after age 16 years. Findings show that as adults, TANF-involved youth are less likely than former foster youth to be charged with a felony; moreover, when former TANF youth are charged with felonies as adults, the felonies are less severe than felony charges incurred by former foster youth. Overall, as young adults, males and African American youth are not only more likely to be charged with felonies than other race youth or females but also are more likely to be charged with felonies of higher severity ratings than other race youth or females. Entering foster care as an adolescent and having multiple placements in care are associated with poorer outcomes in adulthood. However, youth who remain in foster care longer are less likely to be charged with a felony. The study confirms earlier work on adverse criminal justice-related outcomes for former foster youth and clarifies the need for specific interventions to reduce subsequent criminal involvement.