CRIME DATA AND ANALYSIS

Catalog description

Prerequisite: Baccalaureate degree from accredited institution. Core course.This course covers two salient data driven topics. First, the nuances of crime data will be discussed including data from the following sources: Uniform Crime Report (UCR)/National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), Crime & Safety Survey (CSS), International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS), National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) reports, National Survey of Drug Use & Health (NSDUH), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports, World Health Organization (WHO) reports, Monitoring the Future (MTF) and the Intimate Partner Violence Series (IPVS) of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Second, the data analysis section of the course will focus on the following: 1) key statistical tests and concepts necessary for students to critically read and evaluate scholarly literature in the field of criminal justice; 2) identification of crime patterns and trends; and 3) the role of data in profiling and geographic analysis. The importance of data analysis and the use of evidence-based practice to inform public policy will be emphasized throughout the course.