In: Statistics and Probability
Many researchers have tried to determine whether capital punishment deters murder. Suppose a new study has been published analyzing how death-sentence rates in one year relate to murder rates the following year. The researchers who conducted this study included only the 32 states that authorize the death penalty, and excluded the remaining states. Do you think this is a justifiable approach to studying the possible deterrent effects of the death penalty? Would you trust the results of the analysis and the conclusions the researchers reach on the basis of those results? Explain your answer.
These questions are related to the chapter about types of variables and levels of measurement