Read the article "The Street-level Information Economics Activities: Estimating the
Yield of Begging in Brussels." Based on the principles of survey research noted in
Chapter 1 of#The Mismeasure of Crime#textbook, describe your thoughts on trusting
the research used in the article. Describe the limitations of the research and article.
Would you base public policy with respect to beggars off of this article?
After reading the article “The Street-level Information Economics Activities: Estimating the
Yield Beginning in Brussels”, I think that it is hard to trust in the research using in this article.
For the first hypothesis, it was that begging generating an income under the poverty line that it
seemed to be unreliable due to the factors that were placed. This is due to too many variables in
the study and the unpredictability of the study. They based this off of three different types of
beggars in the area, and not the overall aspect of begging. Therefore, the numbers would not be
considered reliable to assume the amount of return from begging. As stated in the reading
reliability and validity must exist. Reliability is the largest portion of this factor. Moreover, the
second hypothesis can be seen as semi-valid that the profit of begging is similar to criminal
activity. This is due to begging being linked to criminal activity in the areas. The hypothesis can
be determined to be valid in terms of criminal activity, but not in terms of money made from the
begging in general. In addition, the third hypothesis is that beggars who are migrants yield a
higher profit. It would be invalid due to the study that was conducted. It was historically proven
that migrants yield a lower profit ratio than that of non-migrants and those with children
(Adriaenssens & Hendrickx, 2010). Finally, the fourth hypothesis was that the begging with
children yields a higher return that it would not be trusted based on non-conducted research
activities. This is due to it being illegal in Brussels to beg with children. Many instances in
Brussels begging with a child can be seen as human trafficking and is illegal. That is why the
experiment was not conducted.
In term of public policy, they can not be used as a base of slashing off beggars off the radar. In as
much as the act is not that acceptable in other aspects of the society, there is not concrete
evidence that it is a crime, which is a key element of the policy. The research conducted as
indicated in the article read clearly has some limitations that make it hard to come up with a
concrete backing that beggars are not good individuals. Moreover, begging is another source of
informal income just like the others. this creates a thin line between legalizing and making
begging illegal. According to Christian perspective, God loves human, and He always has a plan
for us. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life”. Also, God entrust human to help one another, in
essence to be our brother’s keeper. “Give to the one who begs from you and od not refuse the one
who would borrow from you” – Matthew 5:42.
Reference
Adriaenssens, S., & Hendrickx, J. (2010). Street-level informal economic activities: Estimating
the yield of begging in Brussels. Urban Studies, 48(1), 23–40.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098009360688
Holy bible. (2011). Zondervan.
Mosher, C. J., Miethe, T. D., & Hart, T. C. (2011). Chapter 1. InAThe mismeasure of crimeA(pp.
1–29). essay, SAGE.
Hello Amanda,
Thank you for your thoughts about the research in beggars. I totally agree with you that the
begging is the problem everywhere, but this research makes me hard to believe because it is not
reliable data to show that this information is right. Moreover, there was an estimate of the
beggar’s income which tell me that they are just going off an estimation and not off true numbers
to really say what the true number of a beggar’s income is. The serious studies of the life of
beggars are often based on qualitative data. These studies were helpful to reveal the experiences
and perceptions reliable estimates of their income (Adrianssens & Hendrickx, 2010). Therefore,
the research needs to give more precisely information instead of hypothesis about beggar’s
income. Also, public policy cannot use this research as a reference because it is not trustful
evidence that beggars are crimes. According to Bible, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge
with right judgment” – John 7:24. God loves human and treats us fairly regardless ethnicity, race,
or genders. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not you own doing; it is
the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” – Ephesians 2:8-9.
Reference
Adriaenssens, S., & Hendrickx, J. (2010). Street-level informal economic activities: Estimating
the yield of begging in Brussels. Urban Studies, 48(1), 23–40.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098009360688
Holy bible. (2011). Zondervan.
Hello Joseph,
I agree with you that it is hard to trusted in this research because most of the data are estimated
and not trustworthy. Also, when you look at the research, it is very limited groups of people.
Everyone should be a part of the research, but they don’t take part of the research. Moreover,
there are many reasons why individuals would not be a part of research due to facts such as
schools, military bases, prisoners, and so on. Thus, they would not have accurate number for the
research. Survey methodology attempts to generalize a lager group by sampling a smaller group,
(Mosher et al., 2011). Therefore, this study needs to get deeper survey in different
groups of individual to get precisely data instead of giving the hypothesis, and the
public policy can use this research as a reference to improve their policy about if
beggar is a crime. According to Bible, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by
his poverty might become rich” – 2 Corinthians 8:9. All crimes are sins, but not all
sins are crimes. “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it
is sin” – James 4:17.
Reference
Adriaenssens, S., & Hendrickx, J. (2010). Street-level informal economic activities: Estimating
the yield of begging in Brussels. Urban Studies, 48(1), 23–40.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098009360688
Holy bible. (2011). Zondervan.
Mosher, C. J., Miethe, T. D., & Hart, T. C. (2011). Chapter 1. InAThe mismeasure of crimeA(pp.
1–29). essay, SAGE.
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