This report discusses considerations involved in placing the evaluation process for criminal justice agencies within an organizational and practical context. The discussion proceeds from the following perspectives: (1) program evaluation is a policy/management tool; (2) various levels of policy and management personnel have numerous and varied evaluation information needs; and (3) rarely is an evaluation so fatally flawed as to be without some relevance to policy. The report identifies potential problems in the conduct of program evaluation so that they can be anticipated, assessed and prevented. Pitfalls in interpreting data for alternative policy purposes are examined. Concerns to be addressed before data collection begins are analyzed to minimize impediments to a successful evaluation. It is noted that during the data acquisition and data analysis stages, certain interpretational problems must be considered -- including potential difficulties of transferring programs to new environments or of expanding programs. The final stage of the evaluation cycle is discussed in terms of converting problems into products. The report includes a bibliography, and technical discussions of variables, correlation, and experiments appear in the appendices. (Author)