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Lecture #4
Lecture #4
■ We've seen a lot of qualitative research already, including ethnographic work and in-
depth interviews.
■ Qualitative research is often interested in reaching theoretical saturation.
– This means you conduct your research until you're not finding anything new
■ Quantitative research aims to test hypotheses or describe general trends through
quantifications of key variables of interest.
■ Quantitative approaches include anything (pretty much) that makes use of statistical
inference. Surveys, official data, some kinds of content analysis, etc.
■ The methodology should generally reflect the research question(s) that is of interest.
Main Crime Data Sources in US
■ When one talks about percentage increases or decreases over time, one can
present a misleading story when making comparisons across groups.
■ Percentage increases or decreases may be misleading if the size of groups to begin
with is not considered. This is important as media publications may overexaggerate
criminal activity by focusing on percentage changes.
■ Example:
■ If a city had one homicide two years ago and last year it had three homicides, then it
would be factually accurate to say that homicide increased by 200%, but it's a very
misleading thing to say because homicide incidence was so low to begin with
Clearance Rates
■ Definition: the rate at which crimes of a certain type are "closed" due to arrest or
some other means. Often converted to a percentage.
– Side Note: Usually under 5% of homicides are committed by juveniles
■ Homicide clearance rates: Probably lower than you think (higher is better). National
average is about 60%, and continues to decline. Examples:
– Chicago: About 25%
– Memphis: About 38%
– Detroit: About 15%
■ Which crime has the lowest clearance rates? Motor vehicle theft. Often between 10
and 15%