Question

Are respondents to the 2016 GSS generally satisfied that the government is doing enough to halt the rising crime rate (NATCRIME) and deal with drug addiction (NATDRUG)? (Hint: Consider the type and level of measurement for each variable before using either the Frequencies or Descriptives command to produce frequency tables and/or descriptive statistics. For the variables, NATCRIME and NATDRUG, values 0, 8, and 9 should be set as "missing.")

Answer 1

Respondents' satisfaction with government efforts on crime and drug use in the 2016 GSS can be assessed by analyzing the NATCRIME and NATDRUG variables. Despite declining crime rates since the 1990s, public perception may not align with these trends. Challenges exist in accurately capturing crime data and public perception through surveys.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question inquires whether respondents to the 2016 General Social Survey (GSS) were generally satisfied with government efforts relating to crime rate and drug addiction. To examine this, one would analyze the data from the GSS, specifically looking at the variables NATCRIME for crime rate and NATDRUG for drug addiction, ensuring that values 0, 8, and 9 are treated as 'missing'. Analysis would likely involve compiling frequency tables or descriptive statistics to determine levels of public satisfaction or perception.

On the topic of public perception, it is noted from prior research that despite the decline in violent and gun-related crimes since the early 1990s, people often believe crime rates are unchanged or worsening. This discrepancy underscores the importance of considering how public perception can differ from actual trends in crime rates and the challenges of capturing the complexities of crime through surveys, such as the NCVS and UCR. Surveys like NCVS provide a detailed examination but can miss certain demographics and are subject to inaccuracies due to factors like faulty victim recall.