Crime & Delinquency Essay

To evaluate the effect of a program created on April 1, 1995, on fatal alcohol-related crashes, longitudinal data from Tennessee's Federally Sponsored Fatality Analysis Reporting System were collected over a 132-month period.

The program allowed people to report suspected drunk drivers, people who are driving while intoxicated illegally, and other road-related emergencies using their mobile phones. Time series design is one of the most efficient research

designs that can be used for longitudinal analysis.

2. Type of Data Used to Conduct the Analysis

The researchers identified and used longitudinal data collected from Tennessee Federally Sponsored Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

Longitudinal data is a type of data that enables the researcher to track the same observations or analytical sample at different points in time for a long period of time.

3. Sampling Procedeure Employed

The sampling procedure involved using cellular telephones to report drunk drivers on the road and gathering sample data from the records of free-of-charge incoming calls from the public. Each participant was assigned to report any drunken driving case witnessed to the police.

A classification of the calls received by the federally sponsored fatality analysis reporting system database was conducted to identify the specific calls which basically reported the cases of suspect drunk drivers on the road.

4. Dependent Variable of the Study

Dependent variables are those that are affected by changes in other stand-alone variables (independent). For instance, changes in drunk driving would impact changes in alcohol-based fatal crashes.

Therefore, there were two dependent variables in this study namely; alcohol-related fatal crash and the rate of crash that was non-alcohol related.

5. Key Findings of the Study

Maximum-likelihood results of the data analysis revealed a 2.5 percent decline in the rate of fatal crashes related to alcohol on roads served by the program. In contrast, the monthly percentage of fatal crashes attributed to drunk drivers did not change significantly on roads where the program was not implemented. Results suggested that emergency cellular telephone programs have promised as an effective and relatively inexpensive means for improving highway safety.

6. Limitations of the Study

The study faces a few limitations. Firstly, it lacks empirical evidence to ascertain facts listed in the study.

Secondly, the data stored in the FARS’s database is vulnerable to both intentional and unintentional distortion, risking its validity.

Thirdly, there’s uncertainty about the percentage of reported cases of drunk driving and the ones ignored by the public, threatening the reliability of the study.

Kovandzic, Tomislav V., John J. Sloan III, and Lynne M. Vieraitis. "“Striking out” as crime reduction policy: The impact of “three strikes” laws on crime rates in US cities." Justice Quarterly 21.2 (2004): 207-239.

Research Design

This study estimated the overall and state-specific effects of three strikes laws on UCR index crimes using a multiple time series design (MTS) over a period of 10 years. This is one of the strongest design methods available for quasi-experimental; research such as this one, where more thorough investigations are not possible.

The Type of Data Used

The research involves the use of longitudinal data collected from UCR index crime databases in California. The data set is comprised of annual city-level observations. This data type enabled the researchers to treat the study as a natural experiment with secondary data from the databases.

Sampling Procedure Employed

The sampling procedure included the distribution of human resources to several state criminology departments in all the identified cities, and gathering recorded information on the UCR index crime databases for analysis.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable is a variable which is affected by changes in the constant variables. For instance, the independent variable presented in the study was Crime Rate which is influenced by the three strikes law introduced.

Key Findings of the Study

Main findings emerge from this study, Analysis reveals a number of interesting finding. First, crime rates in all three city groupings moved roughly in tandem over the past 20 years: crime rates declined in the early 1980s, began rising in the mid-1980s, and then declined markedly through the 1990s. This pattern indicates broad forces that tended to push crime rates up and down nationwide. Second, despite all three city groupings having experienced a sizeable drop in crime throughout the 1990s, crime rates in three strikes cities declined slightly faster. This is a real proof that the method is effective.

Limitations of the Study

The study presents several limitations including: insecurity of data stored in the databases threatening the validity of the study,

The difference in which the three striking law is implemented in various states impair the comparison that can be drawn from its effects on crime rate. The study makes many assumptions, some of which are critically questionable.

Guerette, Rob T. "Immigration policy, border security, and migrant deaths: an impact evaluation of life‐saving efforts under the border safety initiative." Criminology & public policy 6.2 (2007): 245-266.

Research Design Used

The research design is the descriptive research design. This design involves collection of data that tests hypothesis or to answer the current status of the subject of the study. The Guerrette’s article describes the impacts of immigration policy on the death rate of immigrants. The study explores how the border patrol officers are important in saving the lives of immigrants entering a country; it also provides explanation of the impact of illegal immigration, border security and problems faced by border patrol officers.

Type of Data Used

The type of data used in the research is qualitative data. This is a type of data available in numerical form, or data that can be quantified. Guerette has used qualitative data to draw conclusions, and be able to support his opinions. The source of the research data is the border security initiative incident tracking tracking system which keeps count of individual deaths and event deaths.

Sampling Procedure

Guerette uses simple random sampling, where each particular event has an equal chance of being included in the sample. Several recorded events are selected for the study randomly to eliminate biasness.

Guerette also collected his research data from different websites randomly in his attempt to analyse border security-related events.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable presented in the study is Border Security. Border security depends on the immigration rate, which is dependent.

Key Findings of the Study

The key finding of Guerette’s research is that the life-saving campaign is saving the lives of the immigrants. The study also indicates that; though the border search trauma and rescue (BORSTAR) and lateral repatriation program (LRP) has been an effective means of reducing migrant casualty.

Limitations of the Study

The research use experimental method which makes the outcomes difficult to generalize.

The research design was expensive in terms of equipment and tools involved in the study.

The research has a limitation in reliability since other factors causing immigrant deaths such as accidents are not considered.

Works Cited

Guerette, Rob T. "Immigration policy, border security, and migrant deaths: an impact evaluation of life‐saving efforts under the border safety initiative." Criminology & public policy 6.2 (2007): 245-266.