research apps in criminal justice 1

Competencies Addressed in This Discussion

• Competency 5: Differentiate between reputable and nonreputable criminal justice research resources.

Introduction

In Chapter 1 of The Mismeasure of Crime, you read about the importance of reliability and validity of data in social research in the criminal justice context. Often, in an effort to measure crime and delinquency, for example, the result is a mismeasurement. To avoid this mismeasurement, it is important to consider constraints in research: what they are and why they are important for valid findings.

Whether measurement of social phenomena is accurate can depend on the time and context of the data being measured. As societal views change, the meaning of the data can change with it. Therefore, it is important to select precise indicators when measuring abstract concepts, such as when trying to operationalize social phenomena. Before completing the discussion, view Crime Analyst in Action Introduction to meet a crime analyst who shares her career challenges and strategies and introduces the research process she uses in a recent assignment.

In your main post:

1. Explain the necessary factors to consider before public opinion survey results can be trusted as a reputable criminal justice resource, based on the principles of survey research examined in Chapter 1 of The Mismeasure of Crime.
2. Discuss how you could use public opinion research in your current or future career path based on its reliability as a resource.
3. Examine the benefits public opinion research would bring to your sector of interest in the criminal justice field versus other more or less reputable research resources.