Discussion: Measures of Central Tendency

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Week 4 Discussion

Central tendency is a single number that is used to represent an entire set of data; the

Mean, median, and mode are the three measures of central tendency. The mean is the most used

measure of central tendency. It is the sum of scores divided by the number of scores. The median

is the division point in a group that is divided in half and used with interval, ratio or ordinal data.

The mode is the most used number used in a data set. Mode is most commonly used with

nominal data.

Using the comstat report from the Jackson Police Department in Jackson, MS, I can

discuss the median, mean and mode of central tendency of the homicides throughout Jackson,

MS within a 24- month period. Finding the mean by dividing the number of homicides by the

number of precincts in the city of Jackson, (88 deaths/4 precincts=22).

The median divides the homicide into two equal groups. Half of the precincts has a few

more homicides where the other precincts have less. The mode would be the precincts in which

the homicides occurred.

Utilizing these measures of central tendency are important in the criminal justice field

because it streamlines a clear way to see how crime is committed in any given area and

potentially, a path toward fighting it. It is imperative to be sure the right measures are used when

gathering data to prevent inaccuracies in the results. Using the wrong methods could result in

skewed and ineffective data.

References

Bachman, R., & Schutt, R. K. (2014). The practice of research in criminology and criminal

justice (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.