Discuss the compatibility of the UCR, NCVS, and self-report data sources. Assume that you are assigned a research project and one of the requirements of the assignment is that you use one of these data sources. Which of these data sources would you be more inclined to use? Provide a rationale for your choice
What will be an ideal response?
• Each source of crime data has strengths and weaknesses
• UCR
o The FBI survey contains data on the number and characteristics of people arrested, information that the other data sources lack
o It is also the source of information on particular crimes such as murder, which no other data source can provide
o While used extensively, the UCR omits the many crimes that victims choose not to report to police, and relies on the reporting accuracy of individual police departments
• NCVS
o The NCVS includes unreported crime missed by the UCR and also contains important information on the personal characteristics of victims
o However, the data consist of estimates made from relatively limited samples of the total U.S. population
? Even narrow fluctuations in the rates of some crimes can have a major impact on findings
o The NCVS relies on personal recollections that may be inaccurate
o It does not include data on important crime patterns, including murder and drug abuse
• Self-report surveys
o Self-report surveys provide useful information because questions on delinquent activity are often supplemented with items measuring the personal characteristics of offenders, such as their attitudes, values, beliefs, and psychological profiles
o Self-reports can also be used to measure drug and alcohol abuse
o These data are not included in the UCR and NCVS
o At their core, self-reports rely on the honesty of respondents
• Although their tallies of delinquency are certainly not in synch, the patterns and trends measured by various data sources are often quite similar:
o When the UCR shows a drop in illegal activity, so too does the NCVS
o They all generally agree about the personal characteristics of serious delinquents (i.e., age and gender) and where and when delinquency occurs (i.e., urban areas, nighttime, and summer months)
• Because the measurement problems inherent in each source are consistent over time, the sources are reliable indicators of changes and fluctuations in delinquency rates
• Student answers will vary
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