CRJS440 Applied Statistics Unit 1 DB - 35141

Use the Web resources, library, and course materials to research 5 different methods for data collection and the use of statistics in criminal justice.

Assignment Guidelines

• Research and describe 5 data collection techniques in your own words. Be sure to cite any sources you used in APA format.
• Answer the following questions:
  • Why is the examination of collected data so important?
  • How are statistics used in the field of criminal justice?
• Post a new topic to the Discussion Board that contains your data collection technique descriptions and your answers to the above questions.
• Respond to at least 2 other students' posts on the Discussion Board.

Five ways to Collect Data

            There are numerous ways to collect data while conducting research. During this discussion five different ways will be discussed. The first way to collect data is through a census. A census will allow the researcher to collect data from every individual within the area they are researching (UWEC, n.d). For example, if an individual was researching rapes that occur in the Chicago area, they would be able to send out a census to every household in the Chicago area. This would allow for people who have been raped and did not report it a chance to speak up. The only downside to a census is that is can be time consuming and expensive.

            The second way to collect data is through experimenting. By conducting an experiment it would allow the research to gain firsthand knowledge on what happens when cer