Question

What is the importance of ethical considerations and potential consequences of not following ethical guidelines when conducting statistical research? What are some potential consequences of not following ethical statistical practice in Criminal Justice field (i.e., results used improperly, etc.)?

Answer 1

What is the importance of ethical considerations when conducting statistical research?

The ethical guidelines aim to promote accountability by informing those who rely on statistical analysis of the standards they should expect. The discipline of statistics links the capacity to observe with the ability to gather evidence and make decisions, providing a foundation for building a more informed society. Because society depends on informed judgments supported by statistical methods, all practitioners of statistics—regardless of training and occupation or job title—have an obligation to work in a professional, competent, respectful, and ethical manner.

What are potential consequences of not following ethical guidelines when conducting statistical research?

There are a number of possible ways in which unethical behavior can arise in statistics and researchers should steer clear of these. Unethical behavior might arise at any point - from data collection to data interpretation. Ethics in statistics are very important during data representation as well. Numbers don't lie but their interpretation and representation can be misleading. Potential consequences of not following ethical guidelines include risk of considerably harming people, the environment, or property unnecessarily. It can also lead to breach of privacy and confidentiality. Plagiarism is also one of the consequences.

What are some potential consequences of not following ethical statistical practice in Criminal Justice field?

In Criminal Justice field, ethics are very important since if something is not illegal, it can be highly unethical. Some consequences of not following ethics in Criminal Justice field involve dishonesty, breach of privacy and confidentiality, inhumanity, injustice and disloyalty.