The use of crime data is important to criminal justice agencies for various reasons. Some of which include the prevention and prediction of crimes. The data is collected and stored in “crime categories on which local and federal authorities maintain data, ordered by their increasing degree of harm to the general public” (Chen et.al 2004, para 6). It is important but it also has its drawbacks.
If for example, a person commits multiple crimes, only the most serious is counted into the data. Another issue involves the “variation in citizen reporting and police recording practices” (Mosher et.al 2011 p.93); some say racial and social bias also can play a role in using the data that is collected. Since all data is not reported, I could see the results
If for example, a person commits multiple crimes, only the most serious is counted into the data. Another issue involves the “variation in citizen reporting and police recording practices” (Mosher et.al 2011 p.93); some say racial and social bias also can play a role in using the data that is collected. Since all data is not reported, I could see the results