Fox/Levin/Forde, Elementary Statistics in Criminal Justice Research, 4e

Chapter 1: Why the Criminal Justice

Researcher Uses Statistics

Statistics
CRCJ3000 850 / PA3000 850 / SWRK 3000 850
Dr. Marshall

Spring, 2015

2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

1 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved
 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

Understand who the consumers and producers of criminal

1.1 justice research are

Distinguish between the various forms of criminal justice

1.2 research

Understand the core concepts and terms of criminal justice

1.3 research

Identify the major sources of data in criminology and criminal

1.4 justice research

2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved
 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

1.5 Understand why criminal justice researchers test hypotheses

1.6 Understand the stages of criminal justice research

1.7 Distinguish between the three levels of measurement

Distinguish between the descriptive and decision-making

1.8 functions of statistics

2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand who the consumers and

1.1 producers of criminal justice research
are
1.1 The Nature of Criminal Justice Research

Consumers of Producers of
Criminal Justice Criminal Justice
Research Research
The General Public Academics

Agency Administrators Private Sector Investigators

Policymakers Government Agencies

5
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand the core concepts and

1.2 terms of criminal justice research
1.2 Some Key Terms and Concepts

Variable a characteristic that differs or varies from one

individual (or state or department or country) to another or
from one point in time to another
Constant a characteristic that does not vary from one individual
to another or from one point in time to another
Unit of observation or unit of analysis the element that is being
studied; the source of the data/observation

Hypothesis a statement of a relationship between two

or more variables
Independent variable the presumed cause
Dependent variable the presumed effect or outcome

7
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Distinguish between the various forms

1.3 of criminal justice research
1.3 Forms of Research

The Experiment

Experimental group
Control group
Goal

9
1.3 Forms of Research

The Quasi-Experiment

Comparison group

10
1.3 Forms of Research

The Survey

Retrospective research

Benefits

11
1.3 Forms of Research

Meta-Analysis

unit of observation unit

of analysis

12
1.3 Forms of Research

Content Analysis

unit of observation unit

of analysis

13
1.3 Forms of Research

Participant Observation

very rich
information
ethical
questions

14
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Identify the major sources of data in

1.4 criminology and criminal justice
 Major Data Sources for Criminology and
1.4 Criminal Justice

NCVS UCR
National Crime Victimization Uniform Crime Reports
Survey

Information on crimes committed Information on crimes that are

against individuals and reported to the police
households

Regardless of whether the crimes

were reported to the police

16
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand why criminal justice

1.5 researchers test hypotheses
1.5 Why Test Hypotheses?

Common-sense
observations are The acceptance of:
often based on Invalid
narrow, biased conclusions
preconceptions and Or, at the very
personal least, conclusions
experiences which cant be
retested/verified

18
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Understand the stages of criminal

1.6 justice research
1.6 The Stages of Criminal Justice Research

Develop Develop Collect Analyze

Hypotheses Instruments Data Data

Interpret
and
Communicate Steps are where
Results
statistics plays a role.

20
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Distinguish between the three levels

1.7 of measurement
1.7 Levels of Measurement

Interval/
Nominal Ordinal
Ratio

Naming or Labeling Ordering of Categories Ordering and Exact

Distances

There are different ways to measure the same variable.

Ordinal variables can be treated as interval/ratio variables if the
distances between response categories are assumed to be equal.
More advanced/illuminating statistical tools are available for
use with interval/ratio data than for ordinal; further, the
multivariate tools for analyzing interval/ratio data are more
advanced and illuminating.
22
 Levels or Types of Measurement
KEY: No equal
intervals

KEY: Equal
intervals but no

levelsinterval/ratio
to combine these two
Fox-Levin-Forde choose
real zero

KEY: Equal
intervals AND
real zero

23
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

Distinguish between the descriptive

1.8 and decision-making functions of
statistics
1.8 The Functions of Statistics

Decisions
Description
(aka, Inference)

Frequency and grouped- Inferences and generalizations

frequency distributions from a sample to a population

Graphs and tables Testing hypotheses regarding the

nature of social reality
Arithmetic averages

25
 Some Demonstration Data in Block/Rectangular Format:
Rows (Cases) by Columns (Variables) g )
Calories Sodium
Country Cost per per 12 per 12
Rated Quality Where Availability Price per 6- 12 Fluid Fluid Fluid Alcohol by Light
Case Number Name of Beer of Beer Manufactured in the U. S. pack Ounces Ounces Ounces Volume (%) Price Class Beer?
1 MILLER HIGH LIFE Very good USA National 2.49 0.42 149 17 4.7 Premium Regular
2 BUDWEISER Very good USA National 2.59 0.43 144 15 4.7 Premium Regular
3 SCHLITZ Very good USA National 2.59 0.43 151 19 4.9 Premium Regular
4 LOWENBRAU Very good USA National 2.89 0.48 157 15 4.9 Super-premiumRegular
5 MICHELOB Very good USA National 2.99 0.5 162 10 5.0 Super-premiumRegular
6 LABATTS Very good Canada Regional 3.15 0.53 147 17 5.0 not given Regular
7 MOLSON Very good Canada Regional 3.35 0.56 154 17 5.1 not given Regular
8 HENRY WEINHARD Very good USA Regional 3.65 0.61 149 7 4.7 Super-premiumRegular
9 KRONENBOURG Very good France Regional 4.39 0.73 170 7 5.2 not given Regular
10 HEINEKEN Very good Holland National 4.59 0.77 152 11 5.0 not given Regular
11 ANCHOR STEAM Very good USA Regional 7.19 1.2 154 17 4.7 Super-premiumRegular
12 OLD MILWAUKEE Good USA Regional 1.69 0.28 145 23 4.6 Popular Regular
13 SCHMIDTS Good USA Regional 1.79 0.3 147 7 4.7 Popular Regular
14 PABST BLUE RIBBON Good USA National 2.29 0.38 152 8 4.9 Premium Regular
15 AUGSBERGER Good USA Regional 2.39 0.4 175 24 5.5 Super-premiumRegular
16 STROHS BOHEMIAN STYLEGood USA Regional 2.49 0.42 149 27 4.7 Premium Regular
17 MILLER LIGHT Good USA National 2.55 0.43 99 10 4.3 not given Light
18 BUDWEISER LIGHT Good USA National 2.63 0.44 113 8 3.7 not given Light
19 COORS Good USA Regional 2.65 0.44 140 18 4.6 Premium Regular
20 OLYMPIA Good USA Regional 2.65 0.44 153 27 4.6 Premium Regular
21 COORS LIGHT Good USA Regional 2.73 0.46 102 15 4.1 not given Light
22 MICHELOB LIGHT Good USA National 2.99 0.5 135 11 4.2 not given Light
23 DOS EQUIS Good Mexico Regional 4.22 0.7 145 14 4.5 not given Regular
24 BECKS Good Germany Regional 4.55 0.76 150 19 4.7 not given Regular
25 KIRIN Good Japan Regional 4.75 0.79 149 6 5.0 not given Regular
26 SCOTCH BUY (SAFEWAY) Fair USA Regional 1.59 0.27 145 18 4.5 not given Regular
27 BLATZ Fair USA Regional 1.79 0.3 144 13 4.6 Popular Regular
28 ROLLING ROCK Fair USA Regional 2.15 0.36 144 8 4.7 Premium Regular
29 PABST EXTRA LIGHT Fair USA National 2.29 0.38 68 15 2.3 not given Light
30 HAMMS Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 136 19 4.4 Premium Regular
31 HEILEMANS OLD STYLE Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 144 24 4.9 Premium Regular
32 TUBORG Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 155 13 5.0 Premium Regular
33 OLYMPIA GOLD LIGHT Fair USA Regional 2.75 0.46 72 6 2.9 not given Light
34 SCHLITZ LIGHT Fair USA National 2.79 0.47 97 7 4.2 not given Light
35 ST PAULI GIRL Fair Germany Regional 4.59 0.77 144 21 4.7 not given Regular

THE RAW DATA: 11 Variables, 35 Cases

26
 Descriptive Statistics Goal: SUMMARIZING DATA
Scale/Level of Ordinal (w/o
Measurment Nominal Ordinal Nominal Nominal Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval "not given") Nominal
Calories Sodium
Country Cost per per 12 per 12
Rated Quality Where Availability Price per 6- 12 Fluid Fluid Fluid Alcohol by Light
Case Number Name of Beer of Beer Manufactured in the U. S. pack Ounces Ounces Ounces Volume (%) Price Class Beer?
1
2
3
4
MILLER HIGH LIFE
BUDWEISER
SCHLITZ
LOWENBRAU
Very good
Very good
Very good
Very good
USA
USA
USA
USA
National
National
National
National
2.49
2.59
2.59
2.89
0.42
0.43
0.43
0.48
149
144
151
157
17
15
19
15
4.7
4.7
4.9
4.9
Premium
Premium
Premium
Regular
Regular
Regular
Super-premiumRegular
Selected Statistics
5 MICHELOB Very good USA National 2.99 0.5 162 10 5.0 Super-premiumRegular
6
7
8
LABATTS
MOLSON
HENRY WEINHARD
Very good
Very good
Very good
Canada
Canada
USA
Regional
Regional
Regional
3.15
3.35
3.65
0.53
0.56
0.61
147
154
149
17
17
7
5.0
5.1
4.7
not given
not given
Regular
Regular
Super-premiumRegular
(counts, means on
9 KRONENBOURG Very good France Regional 4.39 0.73 170 7 5.2 not given Regular
10
11
12
HEINEKEN
ANCHOR STEAM
OLD MILWAUKEE
Very good
Very good
Good
Holland
USA
USA
National
Regional
Regional
4.59
7.19
1.69
0.77
1.2
0.28
152
154
145
11
17
23
5.0
4.7
4.6
not given Regular
Super-premiumRegular
Popular Regular
Three Variables
13 SCHMIDTS Good USA Regional 1.79 0.3 147 7 4.7 Popular Regular
14
15
16
17
PABST BLUE RIBBON
AUGSBERGER
Good
Good
STROHS BOHEMIAN STYLEGood
MILLER LIGHT Good
USA
USA
USA
USA
National
Regional
Regional
National
2.29
2.39
2.49
2.55
0.38
0.4
0.42
0.43
152
175
149
99
8
24
27
10
4.9
5.5
4.7
4.3
Premium Regular
Super-premiumRegular
Premium
not given
Regular
Light
for Subgroups of
18
19
20
21
BUDWEISER LIGHT
COORS
OLYMPIA
COORS LIGHT
Good
Good
Good
Good
USA
USA
USA
USA
National
Regional
Regional
Regional
2.63
2.65
2.65
2.73
0.44
0.44
0.44
0.46
113
140
153
102
8
18
27
15
3.7
4.6
4.6
4.1
not given
Premium
Premium
not given
Light
Regular
Regular
Light
the Data
22 MICHELOB LIGHT Good USA National 2.99 0.5 135 11 4.2 not given Light
23 DOS EQUIS Good Mexico Regional 4.22 0.7 145 14 4.5 not given Regular
24 BECKS Good Germany Regional 4.55 0.76 150 19 4.7 not given Regular
25 KIRIN Good Japan Regional 4.75 0.79 149 6 5.0 not given Regular
26 SCOTCH BUY (SAFEWAY) Fair USA Regional 1.59 0.27 145 18 4.5 not given Regular
27 BLATZ Fair USA Regional 1.79 0.3 144 13 4.6 Popular Regular
28 ROLLING ROCK Fair USA Regional 2.15 0.36 144 8 4.7 Premium Regular
29 PABST EXTRA LIGHT Fair USA National 2.29 0.38 68 15 2.3 not given Light
30 HAMMS Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 136 19 4.4 Premium Regular
31 HEILEMANS OLD STYLE Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 144 24 4.9 Premium Regular
32 TUBORG Fair USA Regional 2.59 0.43 155 13 5.0 Premium Regular
33 OLYMPIA GOLD LIGHT Fair USA Regional 2.75 0.46 72 6 2.9 not given Light
34 SCHLITZ LIGHT Fair USA National 2.79 0.47 97 7 4.2 not given Light
35 ST PAULI GIRL Fair Germany Regional 4.59 0.77 144 21 4.7 not given Regular

Average of MG
Average of Calories Average of Price per Sodium per 12 Fluid
Rated Quality of Beer f per 12 Fluid Ounces2 6-pack Ounces
Very good 11 153.5 $3.62 13.8
Good 14 139.6 $2.88 15.5
Fair 10 124.9 $2.57 14.4
Grand Total 35 139.8 $3.03 14.7

Note were gathering data here by Rated Quality of Beer

27
 CHAPTER SUMMARY

Consumers of criminal justice research include the general

public, agency administrators, and policymakers. Producers of
1.1 criminal justice research include academics, private sector
investigators, and government agencies.

Variables, constants, units of observation, hypotheses,

1.2 independent variables, and dependent variables are
encountered regularly by criminal justice researchers.

Experiments, quasi-experiments, surveys, meta-analyses,

1.3 content analyses, and participant observation are forms of
research commonly used by criminal justice researchers

Much of the data used in criminal justice research comes from

1.4 the NCVS and UCR.

2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved
 CHAPTER SUMMARY

Criminal justice researchers test hypotheses to avoid the

1.5 acceptance of invalid conclusions.

Criminal justice research goes through specific stages from

1.6 developing hypotheses and instruments to collecting and
analyzing data, and to interpreting and communicating results.

Criminal justice researchers work with three levels of

1.7 measurement: nominal, ordinal, and interval/ratio.

1.8 Statistics can be used to describe data and make decisions.

2014 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved