The use of official crime data is important due to the likelihood of overestimating the magnitude the target population can have on a proposed change. Ideally, using official crime data will ensure that intended changes address the problem at hand effectively without resulting in yet another problem. Most importantly, official crime data ensures that initiatives turn out successful, especially if the data is incorporated at the design stage ( Baumer & Adams, 2006). Overall, data informs decisions regarding policy change, programs, and implementation of a new system. Faulty data could potentially lead to failed projects and initiatives.
Dynamicity is one of the issues that may arise when using official crime data. Thus, the information intended for use in implementing a particular program could be misleading in that by the time the program is fully implemented, the circumstances might have changed. For instance, in The Arresting Experiment , it was assumed that police intervention protected victims of domestic abuse at the time of the study. Nonetheless, after its conclusion, 21 percent of the participants reported that there was at least one episode of violence after the police intervention ( Miller, 2003). Overall, police crime data is dynamic and cause challenges when relied upon for implementation of various programs.
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Equipping women with personal power will help address cases of domestic abuse more than the dependence on legal power. Victimization of victims of domestic violence points to the shortcomings of reliance on legal power ( Miller, 2003). Policies ought to focus on how to empower women with personal ability. Regarding the issue of overcrowding, there ought to be a policy change that would allow petty offenders to serve their sentences away from jails and prisons. In addition, the use of summons will be more effective than arrests in addressing the issue of overcrowding.
References
Baumer, T. L., & Adams, K. (2006). Controlling a jail population by partially closing the front door: An evaluation of a “summons in lieu of arrest” policy. The Prison Journal , 86 (3), 386-402.
Miller, J. (2003). An arresting experiment: Domestic violence victim experiences and perceptions. Journal of Interpersonal Violence , 18 (7), 695-716.
