Wordcount 1100 words /4 pages
Urgency : 12 to 18 hours
Citation : APA

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The purpose of this assignment is to be in the role of an amateur researcher, coming up with a research question, and making decisions regarding what they are going to measure and how they are going to do it. Please provide complete answers to the following questions.

Answers should be single spaced, typed in 12pt Times New Roman, and no more than 2 pages. 

1. What is your research question?

Is there a difference between neighborhoods where officer-involved shootings occur and neighborhoods where they do not occur in terms of their level of social disorganization (measured as 0-100)? In other words, are officer-involved shootings more likely to occur in neighborhoods that are socially disorganized?

2. Why did you choose this research question?

Officer-involved shootings have become a highly discussed topic in the aftermath of various high-profile killings of men of color. Understanding if a difference exists in the locations where these shootings occur, and where they do not, are important considerations in the officer’s decision to shoot. Places with high levels of social disorganization may lead an officer to be more likely to shoot (for several reasons that we will be unable to control for), whereas places with lower levels may make it less likely.

3. Describe the dependent variable and the independent variable.

Dependent Variable – The level of social disorganization, ratio, continuous

Independent Variable – Census tracts, nominal, two categories

1. those that have experienced an OIS event,

2. those that have not experienced an OIS event.

4. State the appropriate statistical test and explain why:

For my analysis, an independent sample t-test is appropriate because my independent variable is categorical and my dependent variable is continuous, and I am comparing two groups within the same variable.

5. State the null and alternative hypotheses:

H0: There is no difference between census tracts level of social disorganization based on if the census tract experienced an OIS event or not.

H1: There is a difference between census tracts which have experienced an OIS event and those that have not.

6. Are there any other variables that you think will be related to the outcome? Describe at least 3 and explain why they are relevant.

1) Characteristics of police officers (sex, age, race, how many, etc.): Some officers may be less likely to use lethal force and controlling for that will lead to a stronger outcome.

2) Characteristics of suspects (sex, age, race, how many, did they have a weapon, etc.): Some characteristics of suspects may make officers more likely to shoot, whether they are legal factors or extra-legal factors.

3) Levels of firearm violence per neighborhood: neighborhoods which are at increased risk for firearm violence may make police more likely to perceive danger and shoot.

7. What dataset(s) would you use for your study? (provide link if it exists):

My data would have to include location information for OIS events so they can be attributed to a specific census tract. OIS data is available as a dataset open for public use located at https://www.opendataphilly.org/dataset/shooting-victims. Additionally, I will need social data on neighborhoods to examine social disorganization. Neighborhood data is freely accessible to the public from the US Census located at https://www.census.gov/data.html.

Additional sources for data:

· https://www.bjs.gov/: BJS mission is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government.

· http://www.naacp.org/: Website of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People including their history, mission, and membership.

· http://www.norc.org/GSS+Website/: Website of the General Social Survey and results.

· http://www.pollingreport.com; Website with many social survey sources.

· http://www.city-data.com/: Website of statistical demographic data on states and cities in the United States. Some examples include geographical data, state profiles, crime data, registered sex offenders, cost of living, housing, and religions.

· http://stats.bls.gov/: Website of the Bureau of Labor Statistics which provides statistics on employment and the economy.

· http://www.nimh.nih.gov/: Website of the National Institute of Mental Health which provides funding for research studies on mental illness and related issues.

· Many additional datasets can be found on https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/

 

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