In measuring crime, different communities rely on various procedures and ethical principles. Whereas there are many statistical sources for a researcher who would wish to gather information on crime, nonetheless, in collecting this form of data, it is important that the researcher carefully considers the following factors before and during the processes of using data from secondary sources. To start with, the issue of specificity is very crucial. In this case, there is the need to ensure that the specifics of the statistics are very clear from the start. This is because many of the crime reports often carry complex information that may take time to analyze.
It is also common for inexperienced people to go through large volumes of data only to realize that it is of little on no value to them. Similarly, the researcher should clearly know which crimes or aspects of crime require statistics for purposes of clarity. This clarity is important in planning on how to collect the needed statistics and the way they will be used. It is important for a researcher to know the necessary sources for collecting information. For example, if the information needed is to be used for policy formulation or advocacy, the researchers should rely more on statistics and reports from government agencies or private sources that are widely known for their good reputation.
After making the above considerations, the researcher should proceed to establish the integrity of the data sources. This ensures that the data is from credible sources and that the collected information is neither distorted nor misleading. Data integrity is very important in any research undertaking. This is particularly important considering that there are many reports and statistics on crime available on the internet. Secondary sources of crime statistics include crime statistics by state, data from the bureau of justice, international crime statistics, and data from the crime mapping centers, amongst others.
In addition to the above, time is another important consideration. It is known that the government and private agencies usually employ the use of close statistics to measure crime have been collected by both government and private agencies for a long time. It would therefore be important for the researcher to use relevant data sources that reflect s appropriately on the contemporary situation with regard to crime. The researcher should not rely on data that is too old for such statistics would not be accurate in planning for interventions.
Finally, the researcher needs to be aware that official crime statistics have their own advantages and limitations as well. By using published statistics, the researchers can be able to make savings on time and money. Many of the sources are easy to access compared to data generated through recent research. Since they are easily available, statistics from secondary make it easy to verify previous research findings. On the other hand, there are various disadvantages associated with the use of secondary sources of crime statistics. There is a high likelihood for secondary data to be biased. This automatically impacts negatively on the integrity of the data. At times, some secondary sources are not well maintained, and researchers are likely to experience difficulties in retrieving crucial data. This is especially the case if some parts of the source are worn out, torn out, or wholly missing. The use of secondary data often tempts people to work in haste; this makes them susceptible to making mistakes by not carefully exploring all the necessary facts.