Course:LIBR559A/Sanders, C.B. (2015)

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Citation

Sanders, C. B., Christensen, T. & Weston, C. (2015). Constructing crime in a database: Big data and the mangle of social problems work. Qualitative Sociology Review, 11(2), 180-195. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/1681269308?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=14656

Annotation

To identify the connection between materiality and social problems, which the authors refer to as “the mangle of social problems work”. The authors begin by introducing the mangle of social problems work as the role of technology in constructing social problems. This concept combines qualitative research in science and technology with a social constructionist analysis. This concept is shown by examining big data and crime analytics in the field of intelligence-led policing (ILP).

ILP is the incorporation of big data into policing and scientific methods are routinely applied to policing practice. Crime and intelligence analysts run algorithms to narrow down the focus of the main targets in an investigation far quicker than through traditional techniques. Hence, subjective work of policing by filling out paperwork is made objective through algorithms and statistical analysis. Big data legitimizes social problems since the results are seen as objective, accountable and informed decision making. By using big data, the work of the crime analyst is invisible and the results are constructed as being objective and acquire legitimacy of police practices, deployment and future predictions of where crime will occur. Since the subjective and human factor are removed from big data and black-boxed the results are seen as cutting edge, authoritative knowledge, without subjectivity.

The reality is that crime statistics are human constructs. Whereas in the past it may have been only interpretive work of the police officer it is now the interpretive work of the police officer in conjunction with technology. The data is meaningful only through the interpretive and analytical processes done by people. Therefore, police working with their technologies that shape the construction, interpretation and understanding of crime problems and the social problems work conducted by police. Therefore, the authors believe that technology is a part of the construction of social problems and therefore should be included into the perspective in the same way as other concepts such as framing and cultural feeling rules are studied.

The theoretical framework is : Social Constructionism

This article would be useful for law libraries that have a collection on policing and cases involving policing practices. It would also be beneficial to provide this perspective to policing units and make them aware that crime and intelligence analysts are not that invisible and although big data helps organize large volumes of information and has positive aspects to it, it is also important to remember the subjective aspect of all the policing statistics and analysis.

Page Author: Irene Moreno