Research Empirical Studies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research Empirical Studies - Coursework Example 217-241). The sample data is taken from existing studies, in this case a study from the National Crime Panel that details the determination of available data from mapped an unmapped information sources in crime investigation settings. Such data is then factored into analyses of the effectiveness of law enforcement use of data and information to solve crimes. The thinking is that the more effective use of more information can lead to better law enforcement work as such work relates to crime investigations. The data analysis flows from this look into the availability of data and the degree of law enforcement use of such data (Skogan et al., 1979). The key threat to the validity of the research and its findings is that there is only one data source used, and that is a study that was done six years prior to the conduct of the research being described here. The reliance on one set of data limits the general applicability of research findings. This threat to validity is somehow addressed by the integrity of the institution that conducted that older study, and that the study was on a national scale, implying ample representation and ample population sizes (Skogan et al., 1979). Among the findings are that the status quo, where police leaned on data that they had at their disposal historically for particular crimes, yielded crime investigation outcomes that were far from ideal. On the other hand, the study also noted that there existed a larger amount of information from more sources, including bystanders and witnesses to crimes, than are being collected and used. The implication here is that with more rigorous ways of information collection, crime investigation outcomes would improve. The implications of the findings include that there needs to be a more rigorous attempt to gather data and to put up standard procedures