Part 1: Common Errors in Everyday Reasoning
Among the common errors in everyday reasoning include non-sequitur errors which mean arriving at a conclusion that is not supported by the facts presented. Secondly, there is the ad populum error which means actively seeking to arrive at the conclusion that would be most popular with the interlocutors (Dowden, n.d.). The third is the faulty analogy error which relates to comparing two situations that do not have manifest congruencies thus arriving at an erroneous conclusion. The fourth is the black and white fallacy which is the reasoning error that comes with assuming that there are two opposite sides of every situation. Another reasoning error is the ad hominem error where the reasoning person considers the person making an argument as opposed to the argument itself. Finally, there is also the bandwagon appeal error where reasoning is based on popular belief rather than the facts of the situation (Dowden, n.d.).
An example of the ad hominin reasoning error is when two opinions about a subject are being made, one by a Ph.D. holder and the other by a college student. A common error would be to accept the Ph.D. holder’s opinion without even considering the college students opinion even though the college student might be having the right argument.
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Part II:
Question One
According to Blevins (2013), four among the purposes of research in criminal justice include establishing how to react to a crime, the establishment of problem-oriented policing (POP), identifying and prioritizing problems, and designing tailor-made interventions.
Question Two: Examples
Establishing How to React to a Crime
A serial killer has been discovered to be operating within a particular police district. Research will be necessary to ensure that police are able to react in a relevant efficient and effective manner to catch the serial killer without putting the community at inordinate risk.
The Establishment of POP
When a single drug dealer begins operating in a police district, the mode of intervention is exponentially different from when an organized gang with a formal hierarchy is well established within a community. Research is important to enable an understanding of which of the two sets of drug dealers is operating within a community so as to develop a problem-oriented intervention.
Identifying and Prioritizing Problems
Apprehending and arresting sex workers, preventing a major terror attack, and stopping an indemnity theft syndicate are all police work but due to their impact on society, they cannot be prioritized equally. Research enables an understanding of what problems law enforcement is facing and which one they ought to give a higher priority.
Designing Tailor-made Interventions
Motor vehicle theft is a very common form of crime in urban centers and will repeatedly be reported in an urban police station. Research will enable officers in such a station to develop a singular, comprehensive, and effective intervention that will be undertaken almost on rote every time a motor vehicle is reported to have been stolen, such as issuing an All Points Bulletin (APB).
Question Three: Relationship between the Four Purposes
Two primary issues, effectiveness and efficacy connect all the four purposes of research in criminal justice. All the four purposes listed above seek to ensure that the work carried out by law enforcement not only serves the intended purpose but also uses as little resources as possible. According to Blevins (2013), modern law enforcement officers are finding themselves having to face an increasing number of crimes which are undertaken using increasingly innovative and sophisticated methods. Contemporaneously, law enforcement is also faced with the limitation of resources (Roberts, 2018). The four purposes of research may be independent to some extent but they correlate to make law enforcement effective while reducing the necessary resources to attain the same.
Question Four
The project by the task force to identify the highest crime areas falls mainly for the purpose of identifying and prioritizing problems. The most logical explanation for the research by the Chief of police is to understand which of the areas falling within the station's area of control has the highest levels of crime, mainly so as to develop means of sharing resources (Roberts, 2018).
References
Blevins, K. K., Ph.D. (2013, March). The importance of research and analysis in policing. Retrieved from http://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/importance-research-and-analysis-policing
Dowden, B. (n.d.). Fallacies. Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/
Roberts, J. (2018). Public opinion, crime, and criminal justice . New York: Routledge
