Perhaps the best type of data that could be collected would come from exploratory research. This type of data could be extrapolated by selecting random households (from the city directory) and getting these houses’ opinions on the matter. These households could be asked how much of a problem they believe the issue to be, seriousness that it should take, the priority it should be to the police, etc. This would give give …show more content…
This could be accomplished by adding up all of the times calls or complaints are made due to new graffiti. This would also be added to the number of graffiti found by police or city workers that went unreported. However, this number would always be lower than the real number of graffiti due to unreported graffiti that is never found or reported. In this type of data, it could be recorded the time that the vandalism occurred, demographics of the vandalist, and ratio of caught vandalists to those never …show more content…
This would include the time and resources invested to clean up after graffiti, the cost of police dispatched to the vandalised site. This number would then be compared to the cost a new program directed at graffiti would be. Notice the number would be an estimation as there is no way of knowing what the actual cost would be. However, this could give a pretty good idea at seeing whether or not graffiti is a problem worth looking at.
2. Let’s say that the above data collection strategies suggest that graffiti is indeed a serious problem. You decide to allocate resources (money and officers) to an intensified graffiti clean-up program, in partnership with the city’s Sanitation Department. Assume that the program is now at the six-month mark. You wonder if it has made a difference. You also wonder if it is cost-effective (and thus worth continuing). Describe what data you might collect and what comparisons you might make to address these concerns. Again, be creative and be