W A Collier writes:
How the NCVS miscounted DGUs
Undersized sample, poor methodology, bias in the questions, unsound
methods and procedures in eliminating bias, and unlike Kleck, they
started with the conclusion (there are only a small number of gun
defenses) as an objective to be proven (not the scientific method)
whereas Kleck started with the question (How many DGUs are there) and let
the numbers supply the answer, pro or con.
You need to inform yourself better about the NCVS.
- The sample size is about 100 times that of Kleck's survey.
- The NCVS methodology has been refined over 25 years of use and is
the benchmark for all other victimaization surveys. - The questions are not biased (I bet you don't even know what they
are.) - The NCVS does not use unsound methods to eliminate bias. There is
extensive documentation on the methods they use. I suggest you
consult it. - The NCVS did not start with a conclusion. The NCVS was designed
to measure crime and responses to crime. The DGU estimate is just one
of the statistics you can get from it. On the other hand, Kleck was
famous for his spirited advocacy of the existence of large numbers of
DGUs before he conducted his DGU survey.