Question

Crime-related and demographic statistics for 47 US states in 1960 were collected from government agencies, including the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. One analysis of this data found a strong connection between education and crime indicating that higher levels of education in a community correspond to higher crime rates.

Which of the potential problems with samples discussed in [link] could explain this connection?

YouPolls is a website that allows anyone to create and respond to polls. One question posted April 15 asks:

“Do you feel happy paying your taxes when members of the Obama administration are allowed to ignore their tax liabilities?”1

As of April 25, 11 people responded to this question. Each participant answered “NO!”

Which of the potential problems with samples discussed in this module could explain this connection?

Answer 1

(1)

A strong connection between education and crime indicating that higher levels of education in a community correspond to higher crime rates does not show that education and crime are not related. Correlation does not mean causation. The correlation between education and crime is due to the Confounding Variable: Unemployment. Because a person gets educated, he looks for only white collared jobs, thus causing unemployment problem, which causes increase of poverty which forces a person into crimes.

(2)

The potential problems with samples discussed in this module is that the survey has Leading Question bias: The wordings in the survey question: " when members of the Obama administration are allowed to ignore their tax liabilities" forces the respondents to answer "No". The correct question is: " Do you feel happy paying your taxes?".