Challenges with Quantitative Data in Rural Settings: Lessons Learned in the Northern Plains

• In Event: Methodological Challenges in Rural Criminology

Abstract

Although crime in urban areas is widely studied, the same cannot be said for crime in rural communities. This is probably the result of many converging factors – including the smaller population base (resulting in fewer reported incidents overall, representing a minority share of crime in the United States) and relatively less attention to how well criminological theories fare in these settings instead of larger cities (e.g., whether key constructs and causal models work the same way). There are also methodological challenges associated with studying crime in rural areas. This presentation addresses some of the methodological challenges associated with conducting quantitative studies in predominantly rural states like North Dakota. Among the most common are complications from missing data, concerns about anonymity, and interpretations of percent increase/decrease or rate change when baselines are low. The discussion will focus on lessons learned and implications for future research.

Authors

• Roni Mayzer, University of North Dakota

• F. Matt Jones, University of Central Oklahoma