The primary dataset we’ll be using is The Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics.

We’ll also be using the National Prisoner Statistics from Lab 1.

Questions
1. Create a plot of violent crime per 100,000 over the years 1960 to 2014. Compare and contrast this plot with the a plot of total incarceration per 100,000 (using the NPS_Pop data from Lab 1). Could changes in violent crime explain the higher rates of incarceration?
2. Add a second plot using murders per 100,000 over the same time period. Are there any challenges with plotting both violent crime and murders in the same figure? What would you do to resolve them?
3. Is the data we’re using in this problem set a sample? And if it is a sample, is it biased? To answer this question, go to The Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics and look under “What is the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR)”?
4. What is the unit of observation in the dataset?
5. Are we using any sample statistics (mean, variance, standard deviation) in our analysis so far?
6. One theory of crime is known as the “Broken Windows Theory.”. The idea is that when minor crimes are prevalent, it encourages more serious crimes. An extension of this theory would be that an increase in property crime would subsequently lead to an increase in violent crime. Does the data in the UCR provide any evidence for this theory?
7. Suppose a policymaker advocates for a Broken Windows policy using the results from above. How would you discuss with the policymaker the difference between correlation vs. causation in interpreting the results?
8. Which variables used in this analysis are social constructs? Are there any concerns?
9. Beyond Data: A key theme in this course is that while data can help us understand world, we cannot fully understand if without knowing the historical and present-day context of the topic at hand.
Take some time to explore the following articles and excerpts that offer different perspectives on the rise of mass incarceration in the United States.
  1. Equal Justice Initiative’s work on criminal justice reform
  2. Excerpts from The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  3. “How We Misunderstand Mass Incarceration” by Adam Gopnick
Given these different theories for mass incarceration, which one is most consistent with your previous data analysis? Is there a theory or theories that are inconsistent with your previous data analysis that you think should be researched further? What kind of data do you think you’d need to explore this theory?