Introduction:
As you have explored in previous units, some surveys provide alternative measures of crime but are still not perfect. Victim surveys are an example of such an alternative measure of crime. There are advantages to measuring crime through surveys. As you have observed, surveys enable researchers to collect certain information not reported by police.
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is a national crime survey based on multistage cluster samples. As discussed in Unit 7, the NCVS is a national measure of victimizations, but as such does not estimate state or local victimizations. Sampling methods for each survey in the NCVS illustrate different approaches to representing somewhat rare events. Therefore, many states have begun conducting their own victimization surveys because data collected from the NCVS cannot provide state-level estimates.
Instructions:
For this assignment, search the Internet to find results from a state crime victim survey that includes a description of the methodology used to conduct the survey. Next, visit the NCVS Key Facts for a reference point.
- Explain the results from the state crime victim survey you selected, including a description of the methodology used to conduct the survey.
- Analyze a similar crime victim survey conducted at the national level, using the NCVS.
- Differentiate your selected state’s crime victim survey method with some of the techniques used to collect data under the NCVS program. Selected state is North Carolina.
- Explore the advantages associated with measuring crime through the use of a national victimization survey as compared to official crime reports.
- Distinguish the NCVS survey and the state survey you selected as they relate to how crime is measured specific to the nature and extent of crime, regardless of reporting.
Special Instructions:
Create a 2 page essay in APA format according to the instructions above. Use 4 scholarly sources of your choice as references. Implement the 5 survey instructions in your assignment as sub-headers and respond accordingly. Be sure to utilize in-text citations.