In Module 10, we took a look at data collection involving secondary and official data, which is commonplace in criminal justice research that involves agency-level response and policy evaluation questions. The assigned readings for this module commented on the validity and reliability of secondary and official data, with some interesting pros and cons for each type.
In this week’s discussion, consider this hypothetical: let’s say that you read two different studies about crime trends, published at the same time, one that concludes that crime is on the rise and one that concludes that crime is declining. You notice in the methodology that one of these studies utilizes survey-based data collection, and one utilizes official data that comes from law enforcement. How do you reach a conclusion about whether crime is actually increasing or decreasing? What factor(s) are most important for you to help determine the facts? Which factor(s) that represent flaws or limitations in survey data and/or official data are most likely to diminish or negate the findings in either of the two hypothetical studies? Use material from class/readings to help make your argument, if possible!
