Data Collection Methods Part II: Observational and Archival Methods Observation
Archival MethodsPolice recorded crimeSelf-reported offending/victimization surveys
An Introduction to Experiments [if time]
Observational Data: An example with bullyingSampling behaviourwhen to watch?
What is bullying?nominal and operational definitions
Reliabilityinter-rater agreement
Validity Checkpredictive criterion validity
Observational Data: Defining BullyingNominal Definition:repeated (2+) acts of one child intentionally (lasting 5+ seconds) inflicting or intentionally attempting to inflict injury or discomfort (physical or mental) upon another. Physical discomfort/injury = anything from pushing and shoving to injuries requiring medical attention. Mental discomfort = anything that makes a child feel distressed or embarrassed.
Operational Definition for Observation: at least two bullying episodes (defined above) that last at least 5 seconds.
Observational Data: Defining BullyingReliability concerns: Definition very subjective can people consistently identify intentionally inflicting or intentionally attempting to inflict injury or discomfort?
Intentional = over 5 seconds. But how can people identify injury or discomfort (especially if mental)?
Need to do an inter-rater reliability check
Observational Data: An example with bullyingSampling behaviourwhen to watch?
What is bullying?nominal and operational definitions
Reliabilityinter-rater agreement
Validity Checkpredictive criterion validity
Data Collection Methods Part II: Observational and Archival Methods Observation
Archival MethodsPolice recorded crimeSelf-reported offending/victimization surveys
An Introduction to Experiments [if time]
Official Measures of CrimeReporting rules or policy changes?Changing definitions of crimes?What does a single count mean? Multiple victims or offenders?What behaviours are captured in definitions? Different components of a sentence?Selection bias?
Archival Data Police Recorded CrimeWhat is a criminal incident
Offences committed? Number of Charges? Number of Offenders? Number of Victims?
What if 5 adults break into 10 cars in an underground parking garage? Whats the incident? Number of offenders charged?Number of offences committed?Number of Charges?
Archival Data Police Recorded CrimeDefinition of a criminal incident
Criminal incident: One incident can include more than one offence. For incidents involving multiple offences, only the most serious offence in the incident is counted. In categorizing offences according to seriousness, generally the Criminal Code maximum penalties are used, except that violent offences always take precedence over non-violent offences.
Violent crime counts reflect the number of victims in the incident, whereas non-violent crime counts reflect the number of incidents or occurrences of crime.
Comment on the Judges Conclusion Are Assaults Increasing? Ten years ago, only about 5% of the cases in my court involved assaults, the judge said. Now, about 20% of the charges on my dockets are for assaults. This increase in assault cases demonstrates quite clearly that we need to have a massive education campaign about the seriousness of assaults.
What questions might you have about this statement?
QuestionsNot clear whats an assault? All assaults or minor assaults? If minor, was there a change in charging practices? Changes in the law? Or some other change (e.g. closing of pubs?)
Charges or cases how are the data organized?
If cases (and organized by most serious charge) the increase percent doesnt mean that these cases went up. It could be others went down.
Chart1
0.05
0.0543478261
0.0595238095
0.0657894737
0.0735294118
0.0833333333
0.0961538462
0.1136363636
0.1388888889
0.1785714286
0.2
0.2272727273
0.25
0.2777777778
0.3125
Percent of all cases that are assaults
Sheet1
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Percent of all cases that are assaults5%5%6%7%7%8%10%11%14%18%20%23%25%28%31%
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults555555555555555
Rate of all other offences1009284766860524436282522201816
20012014
Rate of assaults510
20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults510152025305045353025201510
Sheet1
Rate of all other offences
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults and all other offences
Sheet2
Percent of all cases that are assaults
Sheet3
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
10
Chart1
1005
925
845
765
685
605
525
445
365
285
255
225
205
185
165
Rate of all other offences
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults and all other offences
Sheet1
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Percent of all cases that are assaults5%5%6%7%7%8%10%11%14%18%20%23%25%28%31%
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults555555555555555
Rate of all other offences1009284766860524436282522201816
20012014
Rate of assaults510
20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults510152025305045353025201510
Sheet1
Rate of all other offences
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults and all other offences
Sheet2
Percent of all cases that are assaults
Sheet3
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
10
QuestionsNot clear whats an assault? All assaults or minor assaults? If minor, was there a change in charging practices? Changes in the law? Or some other change (e.g. closing of pubs?)Charges or cases how are the data organized?If cases (and organized by most serious charge) the increase percent doesnt mean that these cases went up. It could be others went down. Cherry-pick two years? What about in-between years?
Chart1
5
10
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Sheet1
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Percent of all cases that are assaults5%5%6%7%7%8%10%11%14%18%20%23%25%28%31%
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults555555555555555
Rate of all other offences1009284766860524436282522201816
20012014
Rate of assaults510
20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults510152025305045353025201510
Sheet1
Rate of all other offences
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults and all other offences
Sheet2
Percent of all cases that are assaults
Sheet3
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
10
Chart1
5
10
15
20
25
30
50
45
35
30
25
20
15
10
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
10
Sheet1
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Percent of all cases that are assaults5%5%6%7%7%8%10%11%14%18%20%23%25%28%31%
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults555555555555555
Rate of all other offences1009284766860524436282522201816
20012014
Rate of assaults510
20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Rate of assaults510152025305045353025201510
Sheet1
Rate of all other offences
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults and all other offences
Sheet2
Percent of all cases that are assaults
Sheet3
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
Rate of assaults
Rate per 100,000
10
QuestionsNot clear whats an assault? All assaults or minor assaults? If minor, was there a change in charging practices? Changes in the law? Or some other change (e.g. closing of pubs?)Charges or cases how are the data organized?If cases (and organized by most serious charge) the increase percent doesnt mean that these cases went up. It could be others went down. Cherry-pick two years? What about in-between years?More generally, what does the judges docket have to do with crime rates. Is that one court representative of any other jurisdiction? (Sampling problem)
Data Collection Methods Part II: Observational and Archival Methods Observation
Archival MethodsPolice recorded crimeSelf-reported offending/victimization surveys
An Introduction to Experiments [if time]
Self-Report Offending / VictimizationProblems with memoryMemory Fade / Telescoping
You get what you ask forGeneral vs. Specific Questions
What do changes over time mean?More specific questions? Greater awareness of behaviour seen as an offence
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