Background

You will create four infographics in the course using Ease.ly. Each pertains to one of the four major sections of the course (Criminal Law and Crime, Law Enforcement, Courts, Corrections) and builds on the work done in the associated research exercises.

An infographic uses visuals – sometimes supported by text – to represent information or data, often with the aim of educating or informing an audience (Easel.ly, “Crash Course in Infographics”). [Infographics are] visual content designed to be perceived as eye-catching and appealing. It’s a combination of words, numbers, pictures, charts, illustrations, even colors – all in order to describe or explain something quickly, clearly, and in extremely effective and engaging way (Easel.ly, “Infographics for Your Classroom”).

Purpose

Infographics are a great way to present information in aesthetically appealing and easily digestible ways. The purpose of this assignment is to learn how to:

• Use a web tool to create infographics—Ease.ly

• Analyze data with BJS data analysis cutting tools

• Present data from BJS data analysis cutting tools

• Craft answerable research questions pertaining to criminal justice topics

• Answer research questions pertaining to criminal justice topics

While this assignment informs you about criminal justice, it also teaches you more general skills that are applicable to a variety of careers.

Creating Infographics with Ease.ly

You will use Ease.ly to create your four infographics. To do so, you need to register/sign up, which is free. From then on, you will log in to the website to make infographics.

The first time you create an infographic may be difficult. The more you do, the easier they get. Ease.ly provides a host of webinars and tutorials to show you how to create the best infographics. Watch this video, which gives you a high level overview of infographics.

For more “How To” tutorials, see other Ease.ly videos here. You should also review the steps taken in building an infographic, seen below.

Instructions for Creating Your Infographics

As noted at the top, you will create four infographics, each pertaining to one of the major sections of the course. They require you use the same BJS data analysis cutting tools for the research exercises. These infographics are titled as follows: Crime Infographic; Arrest Infographic; Sentencing Infographic; and Prison Infographic. See course schedule for which is due when.

For each infographic, you will follow a set of general and specific instructions, outlined below. The reason for this is each infographic pertains to a different topic and so requires you to answer distinct questions based on the assigned data analysis cutting tool.

General Instructions

For each infographic, you are tasked with the following general set of instructions:

1. Craft a Research Question: Craft a research question pertaining to the assigned topic (Victimization, Arrest, Sentencing, Imprisonment), which you can answer with the assigned data analysis cutting tool. When crafting your research question, consider:

   • What do you find most interesting to report? What about it?

   • What would the public want to know about?

2. Answer the Research Question: Use the assigned data analysis cutting tool to answer the research question you crafted.

3. Create Your Infographic: Create an infographic that presents both your research question and its answer(s). Key items to include in your infographic:

   • Research Question

   • Answer(s) to the Research Question

   • Graphic(s) to share the Answer(s) to the Research Question, e.g.,

     • Table

     • Pie Chart

     • Bar Graph

     • Timeline

     • Pictures

   • Your name

   • Citations for any additional resources you may use

4. Avoid Plagiarism: You must create your own tables and graphs. You cannot take from other sources and include them in your infographic; this suggests they may be your own, which they are not.

5. Include Calculations: If you calculate any answers (e.g., rates), be sure to show your math so the answers can be verified. (See the infographic example above).

Below is an infographic example I created with Ease.ly using the Arrest data analysis tool from the Law Enforcement section of the course.

Specific Instructions

Crime Infographic

In the Crime exercise, you gained experience using the BJS’ NCVS Victimization Analysis Tool. Recall that “[t]his dynamic analysis tool allows you to examine National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data on both violent and property victimization by select victim, household, and incident characteristics.” 

To create your Crime Infographic (more specifically victimization), you will use the NCVS Victimization Analysis Tool, which you did for your Crime Exercise. For a reminder on how to navigate this tool, see Research Exercises.

1. Go to the NCVS Victimization Analysis Tool

2. Select the most recent year to gather victimization data

3. Select one or more variables of your choosing to analyze as it relates to victimization (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, sex)

4. Report the frequency (i.e., total) and/or percent of victimizations as relates to one or more variables in your infographic

Arrest Infographic

In the Arrest exercise, you gained experience calculating rates using the BJS’ Arrest Data Analysis Tool. Recall that “[t]his dynamic data analysis tool allows you to generate tables and graphs of arrests from 1980 onward. You can view national arrest estimates, customized either by age and sex or by age group and race, for many different offenses. This tool also enables you to view local arrests.”

To create your Arrest Infographic, you will use the Arrest Data Analysis Tool, which you did for your Arrest Exercise. For a reminder on how to navigate this tool, see Research Exercises.

1. Go to the Arrest Data Analysis Tool

2. Select one or more agencies to gather arrest data from in the most recent year

3. Select one or more variables to analyze as it relates to arrest

4. Calculate an arrest rate or rates and show how that rate or those rates relate to one more variables

   • To determine the arrest rate for the agency/ies you focus on, you will need to use the United States Census Bureau’s QuickFacts tool to gather population statistics. Its gives statistics for several years; choose the one closest to the year you are examining. 

   • To calculate arrest rates for particular variables like age, sex, and race, you will need to determine the population of that subgroup. To do so, you will need to find the percent of the total population of that particular age, sex, or racial/ethnic group.

     • For example, if there are 1 million people in a city, and the census tool tells you that 80% are white, then you would multiple 1 million by .80, which would tell you that 800,000 of the people in the total population are white. Then to calculate their arrest rate, you would follow the instructions for calculating arrest rates that you did for your Arrest Exercise.

5. Report the rate(s) of arrest as relates to one or more variables in your infographic

Sentencing Infographic

In the Sentencing exercise, you used the BJS’ Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics. Recall that

[t]he Bureau of Justice Statistics, through its Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center (FJSRC), compiles comprehensive information describing suspects and defendants processed in the federal criminal justice system. The Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics (FCCPS) tool is an interface that can be used to analyze federal case processing data. Users can generate various statistics in the areas of federal law enforcement, prosecution/courts and incarcerations, and based on title and section of the U.S. Criminal Code. Data are available for the years from 1998 to 2013. This tool includes offenders held for violating federal laws. It excludes commitments from the D.C. Superior Court.

To create your Sentencing Infographic, you will use the Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics, which you did for your Sentencing Exercise. For a reminder on how to navigate this tool, see Research Exercises.

1. Go to the Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics

2. Select at least two or more years to gather sentencing data

3. Select one or more variables of your choosing to analyze as it relates to sentencing in at least two or more years (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, sex)

4. Report how sentencing as relates to one or more variables has varied (i.e., gone up or down, or stayed the same)over some timespan in your infographic

Prison Infographic

In the Prison exercise, you gained experience using the BJS’ Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool - Prisoners. Recall that

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) compiles comprehensive information on persons sentenced to state and federal prisons, through the National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) survey and the National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP). BJS has made these data available through the CSAT-Prisoners tool, an interface that can generate various statistics, figures and maps on prison admissions, prison releases, and year-end prison populations between 1978 and 2019.

To create your Prison Infographic, you will use the Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool - Prisons tool, which you did for your Prison Exercise. For a reminder on how to navigate this tool, see Research Exercises.

1. Go to the Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool - Prisons tool

2. Select the most recent year to gather imprisonment data

3. Select one or more jurisdictions to gather imprisonment data

4. Select one or more variables of your choosing to analyze as it relates to imprisonment (e.g., admissions, releases, yearend totals)

5. Report the frequency (i.e., total) and/or percent of imprisonment as relates to one or more variables in your infographic

Grading

Your infographic will be graded using the following rubric.

Submission

Once your infographic is complete, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Choose “Save” to save your work on the Easel.ly website

2. Then, select “Download”

3. Download the “Low Quality” version

4. Submit the JPG in the associated assignment folder in D2L