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Pros And Cons Of Studying Crime Statistics

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While the field of criminology and the studying of criminal statistics are far from perfect there are still several ways that studying crime statistics can be useful. The authors of the text book do a good job at laying out the basic ways criminal statistics are analyzed and some of the major flaws in the ways that the data is collected. The authors breaks down the three major sources of data that is used in evaluating crime: official police reports, crime surveys and victim surveys (Mosher, Miethe & Hart, 2011). However, despite the flaws associated with ways that crime data is analyzed, the authors do a good job showing the good and the bad of each method used. I believe that it is important to understand the limitations of the criminal studies being …show more content…
The authors of the text show us how these collection methods have flaws and many of their limitations. However, I believe that is why it is important to look at several different collection methods when evaluating crime. Where official police records underreport many crimes and do not even collect crime data on most crimes, victim surveys many shed light on those crimes that are not being records. By evaluating both methods together, the researcher can get a better overall picture of crime. By understanding the limitations that authors show in each of the methods, it makes us better able to understand studies that are published and evaluate which studies are flawed when reviewing them. By understanding the collection methods and the flaws of those collection methods, the person reviewing a particular study can better understand its limitations and perform a study that better addresses those limitations. This process of evolution in study methodology is how the research community will get closer to performing more accurate criminal behavior

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