CJRM Ch. 5-7 vocab
Delinquency, ____________________, and crimes rarely observed may be measured by self-report surveys.
victimless crimes
aggregate matching
Refers to matching subjects in the experimental and control grouping on key characteristics.
diffusion of treatment
A threat that can occur when the experimental and control group subjects are in communication with each other. It is possible that experimental subjects will pass on some elements of the experimental stimulus to the control group.
time-series design
A type of longitudinal study in criminal justice that involves examining a series of observations on some variable over time.
cohort design
A type of nonequivalent-control-group designs that uses a group of subjects who enter or leave an institution at the same time
Drug Abuse Warning Network
Data source for substance use compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration since 1972. Information is gathered from a health surveillance system that measures drug episodes based on medical reports from hospitals and medical examiners. This is a long term series that observes and measures the most serious medical consequences of drug use.
conceptual definition
Defining concepts by using other concepts. The working definition of a concept or term. A definition that uses words and symbols to define concepts. In practice, these are explicit statements of what a researcher means by a concept.
UCR crime data is compiled by the ____________________.
FBI
The mere fact that subjects know they are being studied can cause them to change their behavior. This phenomenon is known as the ____________________.
Hawthorne effect
double blind experiment
Neither subjects nor the experimenters know which is the experimental group and which is the control group. The danger of experimenter bias is reduced to the extent that the operational definitions of the dependent variables are clear and precise
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
Self report survey of respondents from a nationally representative sample of households focused on illegal drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. This survey has been conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration since 1971 and provides information on trends and changes in drug use among respondents.
real definition
Statement of the essential nature or essential attributes of some entity.
units of analysis
The "what" or "whom" being studied. This includes individual people, groups, organizations, and social artifacts.
exclusive
The ability to classify every observation in terms of one and only one attribute. There are no overlaps between attributes of a variable.
exhaustive
The ability to classify every observation in terms of one of the attributes composing the variable. A complete list of all the possible attributes for a variable.
multiple forms
Various forms yield similar or consistent responses/results. (Used to assess reliability.)
inter-rater reliability
Whether different researchers or coders yield the same results from subjects or data as the original interviewer or coder.
external validity
Whether results from experiments in one setting (time and place) will be obtained in other settings, or whether a treatment found to be effective for one population will have similar effects on a different group.
When compared with UCR, which measure has the chance to provide greater detail to a broader range of offenses? a. NCVS b. DAWN c. NIBRS d. Monitoring the Future
c. NIBRS
Which of the following is a data series that has been collected since 1930? a. USPS b. DAWN c. UCR d. NICVS
c. UCR
Graduates majoring in criminal justice and graduates majoring in psychology from Sam Houston State University were part of a study to assess employment success of those receiving their degrees in May 2002. Six months after graduation a questionnaire was sent out to a random sample of these students asking about their job seeking success. The questionnaire was sent out another random sample of these students a year later. Like the previous sample, this group contained criminal justice and psychology majors that graduated in May 2002. What type of design is this? a. a double-blind experiment b. a non-equivalent groups design c. a cohort design d. a time-series design
c. a cohort design
Which of the following is true concerning independent and dependent variables in classical experiments? a. a classical experiment examines the effect of a dependent variable on an independent variable b. once a variable is designated as an independent variable in one experiment, it can never be used as a dependent variable in another c. a variable can be an independent in one experiment and a dependent in another d. an independent variable in a classical experiment is viewed as the effect because it is dependent upon another variable
c. a variable can be an independent in one experiment and a dependent in another
With respect to levels of measurement which of the following is not correct? a. a variable measured at the ratio level can also be measured at the ordinal level b. a variable measured at the interval level can also be measured at the nominal level c. a variable measured at the ordinal level can also be measured at the interval level d. a variable measured at the ordinal level can also be measured at the nominal level
c. a variable measured at the ordinal level can also be measured at the interval level
A questionnaire is sent to 1,000 police departments in Florida and gathers information on the number of sick days officers use after being involved in a shooting incident. This is an example of what type of research? a. experimental design b. cohort design c. case-oriented research d. variable-oriented research
c. case-oriented research
What type of design is illustrated in the following diagram? Experimental Group 0 X 0 Control Group 0 0 Measurement time1 time2 time3 a. cohort design b. time-series design c. classical experiment d. nonequivalent-groups design
c. classical experiment
Which of the following sequences illustrates the progression of measurement steps? a. operational definition, conceptualization, conceptual definition and real-world measurement b. operational definition, conceptual definition, conceptualization and real-world measurement c. conceptualization, conceptual definition, operational definition and real-world measurement d. conceptual definition, conceptualization, operational definition and real-world measurement
c. conceptualization, conceptual definition, operational definition and real-world measurement
Which of the following are not accounted for by the NCVS? a. crimes committed upon those 12 and over in a household b. items stolen from your car c. crimes that have commercial establishments as victims d. all of the above
c. crimes that have commercial establishments as victims
Which of the following is not a general purpose of measuring crime? a. monitoring b. agency accountability c. deterrence d. research
c. deterrence
The specification of conceptual definitions serves as a specific working definition and also: a. focuses readers on the core issue b. focuses on fixing the problem c. focuses observational strategy d. focuses research on the task at hand
c. focuses observational strategy
The core sample of the Monitoring the Future is: a. households b. college students c. high school seniors d. jail inmates
c. high school seniors
Which of the following variables allows for attributes to be placed on a continuum with equal distance between points? a. nominal and ordinal b. ordinal and interval c. interval and ratio d. all of the above
c. interval and ratio
Which of the following is a weakness of the NCVS? a. by using a six month time frame, you decrease the likelihood of subjects forgetting about their victimization b. it finds out the number of unreported crimes c. people that have been victims repeatedly in a six-month period may not recall each one d. all of the above
c. people that have been victims repeatedly in a six-month period may not recall each one
Numerous studies have shown that measures of crime based on police records often suffer from: a. validity problems b. accounting problems c. reliability problems d. typology problems
c. reliability problems
One of the most interesting aspects of ADAM was that it combined urinalysis and: a. confessions b. brain scan images c. self report measures of drug use d. conviction rates
c. self report measures of drug use
________________ validity refers to the degree to which a measure covers the range of meanings included within the concept.
content
At a minimum, crimes need to have a(n) ____________________ to be considered a crime.
offender
A definition that spells out precisely how the concept will be measured is known as ____________________.
operational definition
The threat of statistical regression is a concern any time the researcher begins with subjects who exhibit extreme values on the dependent variable. true false
true
case-oriented research
A research strategy in which many cases are examined to understand a comparatively small number of variables. Examples include experiments and surveys.
Monitoring the Future (MTF)
An annual self report survey on substance use conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse since 1975 and given to national sample of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade high school students. A national self report survey used to track the behaviors, attitudes, and values of teenagers toward drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Its purpose is to predict future trends of drug use based on current youth drug use.
statistical regression
Commonly referred to as "regression to the mean." This threat emerges whenever researchers are interested in cases that have extreme scores on some variable.
multiple measures
Comparing an individual measure with alternative measures of the same concept. (Used to assess validity.)
internal validity
Concern with whether the independent variable caused the change in the dependent variable or the change was due to other factors, such as rival causal factors (endogenous or exogenous variables).
construct validity
Concerned with linking constructs and measures to theory and clearly indicating what constructs are represented by specific measures. A matter of generalizing from our observations in an experiment to actual causal processes in the real world. The correspondence between the empirical test of a hypothesis and the underlying causal process that the experiment is intended to represent. Asks whether a given level of treatment is sufficient.
control group
In experimentation, a group of subjects to whom no experimental stimulus is administered and who should resemble the experimental group in all other respects. The comparison of the control group and the experimental group at the end of the experiment indicates the effect of the experimental stimulus.
experimental group
In experimentation, a group of subjects who are exposed to an experimental stimulus, the treatment or independent variable.
causal time order
It is necessary to show that the cause preceded the effect in time. Ambiguity about the time order of the experimental stimulus and the dependent variable may raise causality concerns.
test-retest method
Making the exact same measurement more than once. Do subjects given a test a second time provide the same or similar answer on both tests or surveys.
discriminant validity
The measure of a concept is different from measures of similar but distinct concepts. These measures can basically differentiate between different concepts
conceptualization
The mental process whereby fuzzy and imprecise notions (concepts) are made more specific and precise. The process by which we specify precisely what we mean when we use particular terms
conceptions
The subjective thoughts about things that we encounter in daily life. These are abstract mental images. The abstract mental images we have that represent our thoughts about things we routinely encounter.
selection bias
The use of volunteers who may be more interested in the subject of the experiment and more likely to respond to a stimulus.
dependent variable
The variable assumed to depend on or be caused by another variable. This is the effect or outcome variable. If you find that sentence length is partly a function of the number of prior arrests, then the sentence length is being treated as the effect.
concepts
The words or symbol in language that we use to represent mental images. Abstract tags or labels.
constructs
Theoretical creations based on things that cannot be observed directly or indirectly.
instrumentation
This threat is concerned with changes in the measurement process and tools. If we use different measures of the dependent variable how can we be sure that they are comparable. This is always a potential problem in criminal justice research that uses secondary sources of information such as police records.
direct observables
Those things that can be observed simply and directly such as colors or words.
Which of the following phrases is most true concerning random assignment to groups? a. "all other things being equal" b. "you are never 100% sure, so don't worry about it" c. "use your best guess" d. "it is close enough for government work"
a. "all other things being equal"
The most widely used measures of crime are based on police records and are commonly referred to as: a. crimes known to police b. victimless crimes c. un-reportable crimes d. none of the above
a. crimes known to the police
Sometimes it is not possible to separate subjects from experimental and control groups and the result is that they may discuss the research. What is the threat that this situation poses? a. diffusion or imitation of treatments b. experimental mortality c. statistical regression d. causal time order
a. diffusion or imitation of treatments
Which of the following is least accurate? a. experiments cannot be used in the study of criminal justice policy because they require a hypothesis to test b. experimentation is appropriate for hypothesis testing c. experiments are well suited to research involving well-defined concepts d. experiments are appropriate for evaluation research
a. experiments cannot be used in the study of criminal justice policy because they require a hypothesis to test
Professor Jenkins is interested in attitudes toward the trying juveniles as adults and plans to assess support for this hypothesis by asking whether or not subjects say they would travel to countries that allow juveniles to stand trial as an adult. Critics would say this measure lacks: a. face validity b. construct validity c. criterion-related validity d. content validity
a. face validity
The goal of the classical experiment is for the researcher to: a. have control over the independent variable b. make sure the subjects in the control group get the independent variable and those in the experimental group do not c. measure the effect the dependent variable has upon the independent variable d. have control over the dependent variable
a. have control over the independent variable
When the actual distance that separates the attributes composing some variables does have meaning, the variables are described as: a. interval b. nominal c. ordinal d. none of the above
a. interval
When it is not possible to create groups through randomization, what options do you have for the research design? a. non-equivalent groups b. pre and post tests c. a classical experiment d. surveys
a. non-equivalent groups
Which of the following statements is true? a. non-equivalent-groups and time-series designs are two general types of quasi-experiments b. experiments and time-series designs are two general types of quasi-experiments c. all research purposes are amenable to the use of experimental designs d. all of the above are true
a. non-equivalent-groups and time-series designs are two general types of quasi-experiments
The key standards for measurement quality are: a. reliability and validity b. mutual exclusivity and exhaustibility c. duplicity and veracity d. pattern and repetition
a. reliability and validity
In an experiment subjects are given a pre-test in an effort to assess their attitudes about a new federal sentencing law that Congress is debating. Subjects assigned to the experimental group are given a series of lectures by experts on the impact the new law will have on prison populations. Immediately after the last lecture, a post-test is given to measure any attitude changes. Anticipating what the test is designed to measure (because of the lectures) those in the experimental group are subject to the threat of: a. testing b. statistical regression c. diffusion d. instrumentation
a. testing
Content validity refers to: a. the degree to which a measure covers the range of meanings included within the concepts b. an empirical measure that may or may not agree with our common understanding of a particular concept c. a comparison of measures to some external criterion d. the basis of logical relationships among variables
a. the degree to which a measure covers the range of meanings included within the concepts
When crimes happen at home and/or against persons, what is the best measure to use if the crimes are not reported to police? a. DAWN b. NCVS c. UCR d. NIBRS
b. NCVS
A group of students who completed a research methods class at the local college were given a questionnaire to assess their feelings about the homeless and after were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group was required to volunteer at the local homeless shelter while the control group was not. After one month of volunteering, members of both groups were asked to complete the questionnaire on feelings concerning the homeless again. What type of research design is this? a. a quasi-experimental design b. a classical experimental design c. a time-series design d. an interrupted time-series design
b. a classical experimental design
Which of the following is not a central feature of the classical experiment? a. groups b. concepts c. time order d. variables
b. concepts
Most of us have committed traffic offenses and have not been caught. This statement reinforces the fact that: a. crime is not measurable b. crimes known to the police are not a good measure for some offenses c. most traffic offenses are not crimes d. none of the above
b. crimes known to the police are not a good measure for some offenses
Shortening the time between pretest and posttest or perhaps even offering cash payments to participants in an experiment are techniques that may be used to: a. limit diffusion b. decrease experimental mortality c. control threats to testing d. decrease the effects of instrumentation
b. decrease experimental mortality
According to your text, what do police cite as a main problem to the enforcement of drug laws? a. the laws are too complicated b. drug use/sales are normally not witnessed by the police c. drug users/seller will not tell on one another d. all the above
b. drug use/sales are normally not witnessed by the police
Particular empirical measures that may or may not agree with common understandings of our individual mental images about a specific concept are known as: a. accuracy b. face validity c. validity d. reliability
b. face validity
Which of the following is used to gather data for the National Survey on Drug Use and Health? a. schools b. households c. prisons d. doctors
b. households
Which term best describes "one or more offenses committed by the same offender, or group of offenders acting in concert, at the same time and place"? a. offense b. incident c. crime d. victim
b. incident
A definition that spells out exactly how we plan to measure a variable is known as: a. conceptualization b. operational definition c. measurement d. concept
b. operational definition
What process is accomplished by assigning the odd numbered subjects to the experimental group and the even-numbered subjects to the control group? a. basic scientific theory b. random assignment c. false positive evaluation d. independent relation
b. random assignment
The number of counts on an indictment is what level of measurement? a. ordinal b. ratio c. nominal d. interval
b. ratio
Which technique is best for measuring crimes that do not have easily identifiable victims? a. NCVS b. Self-report surveys c. UCR d. NIBRS
b. self-report surveys
In the field of public health, "monitoring" (in order to measure crime) is referred to as a(n): a. index system b. surveillance system c. classification system d. data system
b. surveillance system
The threat to the internal validity of an experiment that is called compensatory treatment refers to which of the following situations? a. there is no threat to internal validity called compensatory treatment b. the subjects in the control group feel deprived of something they consider valuable c. the experimental group subjects being paid while the control group subjects are not d. the control group subjects being paid while the experimental group subjects are not
b. the subjects in the control group feel deprived of something they consider valuable
Dr. Smith was interested in whether there would be a reduction in the number of crimes in the central city once closed-circuit cameras went up and were monitored by police. To accomplish this study Dr. Smith looked at the police records for the four square block area where the cameras were installed each week for six months. Dr. Smith was using what method? a. classical experiment b. time-series design c. cohort design d. quasi-experimental design
b. time-series design
The primary difference between the interval and the ratio level of variables is that: a. interval is rarely used b. with ratio there is an absolute meaning of zero c. with interval there is an absolute meaning of zero d. none of the above
b. with ratio there is an absolute meaning of zero
A victim's insistence that the police not arrest a suspect results in no documentation of the incident (i.e. the police officer does not file a report on the incident). This circumstance supports the idea: a. that crime is subjective b. that discretion in police work is inappropriate c. that police measures of crime are problematic d. none of the above
c. that police measures of crime are problematic
Words are symbols in language that we use to represent mental images. The words or labels are known as ____________________.
concepts
Two methods that police come to know about crimes are ____________________ and reports by others.
observation
Which of the following is not an accurate example of threats to internal validity of experiments? a. subjects dropping out of an experiment is a form of mortality b. creaming is a form of selection bias c. control group members work harder as a form of compensatory rivalry d. ability to measure subjects consistently over time
d. ability to measure subjects consistently over time
Measures of crime are said to be selective. In what way is the ADAM program selective as a measure of drug use? a. it operated in a relatively small number of cities b. it includes only arrested persons c. it includes voluntary interviews and testing d. all of the above
d. all of the above
Essentially, an experiment examines the effect of: a. modern science b. science on sociology c. the world we live in d. an independent variable on a dependent variable
d. an independent variable on a dependent variable
The NVCS is based on a nationally representative sample of: a. arrests b. types of crime c. offenders d. households
d. households
When a supervisor for a survey contacts a subset of the respondents to verify certain information, it is an example of: a. lack of generalizability b. construct validity c. split-half method d. interrater reliability
d. interrater reliability
Researchers must be able to classify every observation in terms of one and only one attribute. Which of the following terms best describes this concept? a. reliability b. exhaustiveness c. validity d. mutual exclusiveness
d. mutual exclusiveness
Which term best describes "an individual act of burglary, auto theft, or bank robbery"? a. victim b. incident c. crime d. offense
d. offense
What technique can be used to help reduce the threat to experimental mortality? a. decreasing the sample size b. select only subjects who are female c. increasing the sample size d. shorten the time between the pretest and the posttest
d. shorten the time between the pretest and the posttest
Which instrument asks people whether or not they have been the victim of a crime? a. self reported survey b. random survey c. computer-based survey d. victim survey
d. victim survey
Accidental spillover of an experimental stimulus to the control group is an example of treatment ____________________.
diffusion
A(n) ____________________ experiment guards against experimenters' tendency to prejudge results by eliminating the possibility of either the researcher or the subjects knowing which group is the control and which group is the experimental.
double-blind
In a classical experiment the independent variable is the cause and the dependent variable is the ____________________.
effect
____________________ validity refers to particular empirical measures that may or may not accurately reflect the common agreements on concepts.
face
A single incident cannot include multiple offenses, but may have one offense and multiple offenders. true false
false
Construct validity is concerned with the ability to generalize from the results of the experimental group to the control group. true false
false
In the classical experiment subjects are measured on the independent variable before the experiment begins and again after the dependent variable has been manipulated by the researcher. true false
false
Methods of reporting crime are never updated and have been continually used since their inception. true false
false
Reliability is measuring what you think you are measuring. true false
false
While the interrupted time series can be used in cause-and-effect studies, it is really useless in applied studies. true false
false
With respect to internal validity issues, testing refers to changes in how subjects respond to measurement while ____________________ refers to changes in the measurement process itself.
instrumentation
____________________ systems have been developed to obtain alternative measures of drug use.
surveillance
Conceptualization is the process by which we specify precisely what we mean when we use particular terms. true false
true
Delinquency, victimless crimes and crimes rarely observed may be measured by self-report studies. true false
true
In case-oriented research a large number of cases are examined in order to understand a small number of variables. true false
true
NIBRS reports each crime incident rather than the total number of certain crimes. true false
true
One important step in selecting a measure of crime is deciding what crimes will be included. true false
true
typologies
A classification of observations in terms of their attributes. Produced by the intersection of two or more variables to create a set of categories. Combining variables in different ways to produce different composite measures or types. Sometimes referred to as "taxonomies."
incident based measure
A crime measure that expresses characteristics of individual crime incidents, such as NIBRS or the SHR. The FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) is a well known example, which reports details on each homicide incident.
summary based measure
A crime measure that reports only total crimes for a jurisdiction or other small area.
Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program (ADAM)
A data source for substance abuse among incarcerated individuals based on self report measures and urinalysis. It was originally collected by the National Institute of Justice and is currently conducted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. It combines anonymous interviews with urinalysis. Its purpose is to provide an ongoing assessment of the prevalence of substance use among persons arrested for criminal offenses.
validity
A descriptive term used for a measure that accurately reflects what it is intended to measure. An empirical measure that adequately reflects the meaning of the concept under consideration. Involves whether you are really measuring what you say you are measuring.
interval measures
A level of measurement that describes a variable whose attributes are rank-ordered and have equal distances between adjacent attributes. Examples include temperature in Fahrenheit, temperature in Celsius, or IQ scores; the difference between 100-110 and 110-120 are the same distance.
ratio measures
A level of measurement that describes a variable whose attributes have all the qualities of nominal, ordinal, and interval measures and in addition are based on a "true zero" point. The attributes that compose a variable that are based on a true zero. Examples are age, dollar bills, prior arrest numbers, weight, blood alcohol content, and length of incarceration.
ordinal measures
A level of measurement that describes a variable whose attributes may be logically rank-ordered along some dimension. Examples include opinions, occupational status, crime seriousness, or fear of crime.
pulse check
A national surveillance system on substance use compiled and published by the Office of National Drug Control Policy that incorporates information from substance abuse facilities, law enforcement, and ethnographers in an attempt to identify the types of drugs being used and the extent of the drug problem in the United States.
experimentation
A process of observation, to be carried out in a situation expressly brought about for that purpose. An approach to research best suited for explanation and evaluation. It involves taking action and observing the consequences of that action. Social science researchers typically select a group of subjects, do something to them, and observe the effect of what was done. This is well suited to research projects that involve relatively well-defined concepts and propositions. Researchers have the ability to control the conditions under which research is conducted. It is best suited for hypothesis testing in explanatory or evaluation studies.
quasi-experiment
A research design that includes most, but not all, elements of an true experimental design. This design is sort of an experiment, but relies on matching instead of random assignment of groups. It includes nonequivalent-groups designs and time-series designs.
classical experiment
A research design well suited to inferring cause, the classical experiment involves three major pairs of components: (1) independent and dependent variables, (2) pretesting and post-testing, and (3) experimental and control groups, with subjects randomly assigned to one group or the other
case study design
A research strategy in which the researcher's attention centers on an in-depth examination of one or a few cases on many dimensions. These studies can be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory in nature. They can also be used in evaluation research.
variable-oriented research
A research strategy whereby a large number of variables are studied for one or a small number of cases or subjects. Time-series designs and case studies are examples.
surveillance system
A routine collection of data to monitor some phenomenon such as accidents, injuries, communicable disease incidents, or drug emergencies. U.S. agencies use measures gathered by organizations (such as hospitals, rehabilitation and substance use programs, morgues, domestic violence shelters) and individuals in the field (researchers and ethnographers) to obtain estimates of drug use and, more recently, injuries produced by violent crime.
victim survey
A sample survey (often of households) that asks people about their experiences as a victim of a crime. Victim surveys are one way to measure crime, and they are especially valuable for getting information about crimes not reported to police.
offense
A single or individual act of crime such as burglary, auto theft, bank robbery, or murder.
dimension
A specifiable aspect or characteristic of a concept.
operational definition
A statement specifying what operations should be performed to measure a concept. Basically, specifying what operations should be performed to measure a concept.
National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
A survey and interview of a nationally representative sample of households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics since 1972 that measures reported and unreported crimes from the victims' perspective. It produces incident based crime data using a victim survey and interview of respondents in households that are affected by crime.
self report survey
A survey that asks people to tell about crimes they have committed. This method is best for measuring drug use and other so called victimless crimes.
random assignment
A technique for assigning subjects to experimental groups and control groups that assures equivalency of groups. It produces statistically equivalent group and reduces sources of systematic bias in assigning subjects to groups. It is a fundamental aspect of the classic experiment.
creaming
A type of selection bias in which the best risks are removed or placed in one group over the other for the benefit of favorable results.
generalizability
Applying experimental findings to the real word. That quality of a research finding that justifies the inference that it represents something more than the specific observations on which it was based. Sometimes, this involves the generalization of findings from a sample to a population. Other times, it is a matter of concepts. There are two dimensions, external validity and construct validity.
crimes known to police
Crime incidents that are reported to police, recorded by police, and retained in police data systems. This is the basis of the FBI uniform crime reports and the most commonly used measures of crime.
dark figure of unreported crime
Crimes not observed or reported to police, and therefore, are not counted in measures like the uniform crime reports. For example, simple assaults and thefts of low value items are often not reported to police, while other more serious crimes, such as rape, are seriously underreported in official statistics.
history
Events outside the study may occur during the course of the experiment that confound the experimental results
experimental mortality
Experimental subjects often drop out of an experiment before it is completed (they move or quit), and that can affect statistical comparisons and conclusions. This is referred to as panel attrition when it involves a panel study. It is especially a problem for experiments that take place over a long period of time
demoralization
Feelings of deprivation among the control group may also result in subjects giving up
split-half method
Making more than one measurement of any subtle or complex social concept in a single test or survey. It does not involve retesting, but divides a scale in half, so each half of a scale is analyzed as if it were a separate scale. (First/second halves; even/odd.)
incident
One or more offenses committed by the same offender, or group of offenders, acting in concert, at the same time and place.
compensatory treatment
One threat to the validity of a study. Subjects in the control group may be deprived of something of value to them and there may be some pressure to offer some form of compensation
maturation
People are continually growing and changing, whether in an experiment or not, and those changes affect the results of the experiment.
indirect observables
Relatively more subtle, complex, or indirect observations based on things such as criminal history records, court transcripts, news stories, third party observations
statistical conclusion validity
The ability to determine whether a change in the suspected cause is statistically associated with a change in the suspected effect. Means of finding cause-and-effect relationships through experiments depends on 1) the number of subjects and 2) the magnitude of posttest differences between experimental and control groups Concern with establishing a cause and effect relationship because experiments with large numbers of cases may be able to reliably detect small differences, but experiments with smaller numbers can detect only large differences.
content validity
The degree to which a measure covers the range of meanings included within the concept.
construct validity
The degree to which a measure relates to other variables as expected within a system of theoretical relationships.
criterion related validity
The degree to which a measure relates to some external criterion. A measure can be validated by showing that it predicts scores on another measure that is generally accepted as valid. Sometimes referred to as convergent validity.
reliability
The matter of whether a particular measurement technique, applied repeatedly to the same thing, will yield the same result each time. That standard whereby the same data should be collected each time in repeated observations of the same phenomenon. This refers to measurement consistency or stability.
National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
The official reporting system compiled by the FBI since the 1990's that collects incident based data on crimes observed or reported to law enforcement agencies. Crime data is collected on each incident and arrest within 22 crime categories. It consists of Part A and Part B expanded crime categories.
Uniform Crime Report (UCR)
The oldest and most cited official reporting system of summary crime data compiled and published annually by the FBI since 1930. It consists primarily of summary data based on crimes observed or reported to participating law enforcement agencies. Information is collected on Part I index crimes observed or reported to law enforcement and Part II less serious offenses where an arrest is made.
measurement
The process of actually making observations and assigning scores, numbers or other labels to the observations
operationalization
The process of describing how actual measurements will be made.
reification
The process of regarding as real things that are not real or tangible.
face validity
The quality of an indicator that makes it seem a reasonable measure of some variable. Empirical measures may or may not match with common agreements and individual mental images about a particular concept. Does it rationally and reasonably appear to be a valid measure?
criteria for measurement quality
The reliability and validity of measures.
nominal measures
The simplest level of measurement. A level of measurement that describes a variable whose attributes have only the characteristic of exhaustiveness and mutual exclusiveness (the different attributes are only different categories, nothing else). Examples include gender, race, city of residence, college major and marital status.
independent variable
This variable is presumed to cause or determine another variable. The cause or predictor variable. If we discover that police cynicism is partly a function of years of experience, then experience is the cause or predictor variable and cynicism is the effect or outcome variable.
testing
Threat in which the actual process of providing a pre-test can affect the post-test, regardless of the experimental stimulus. Often the process of testing and retesting influences people's behavior and thereby confounds the experimental results.
compensatory rivalry
Threat to validity of the study in which subjects in the control group who are deprived of the experimental stimulus may try to compensate by working harder
Which of the following is representative of the dimension "victim harm"? a. location of injury b. physical injury c. gender of victim d. economic gain
b. physical injury
Age of an offender is an example of which level of measurement? a. nominal b. interval c. ratio d. ordinal
c. ratio
It is always a good idea to make more than one measurement of any subtle or complex social concept, which is known as: a. inter-rater reliability b. face validity c. split-half method d. test-retest method
c. split-half method
The process of developing operational definitions is known as: a. reification b. conceptualization c. proprietary means d. operationalization
d. operationalization
Sometimes it is necessary to make the same measurement more than once, which is known as: a. inter-rater reliability b. face validity c. split-half method d. test-retest method
d. test-retest method
The process of regarding as real things that are not is called ____________________.
reification
Every variable should have two important qualities; their attributes should be exhaustive as well as mutually exclusive. true false
true
One good indicator of crime seriousness is harm to the crime victim. true false
true
Reliability is threatened every time there is a single observer as the source of data. true false
true
