Emails, Candace McCoy, professor of criminal justice, Graduate Center|John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, Sept. 29-30, 2015

From: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)

Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 6:46 PM

To: Candace McCoy

Subject: RE: Seeking more insight

Just today, I received the official's explanation for his claim that 15 pecent of the population commits 100 percent of the crime.

I am pasting it below. For our story, I am interested in your analysis.

PASTE:

The Lt Governor uses 15% as the number of citizens that commit 100% of crime as an indicator of the number of criminals in the total population to make the point that most citizens are law abiding. That is higher than statistics would indicate. According to law enforcement data we have approximately 2.2 million people in jail in America and another 5 million on probation and parole. That is roughly 2.5% of the total population that has been convicted of a crime including non-violent drug offenses.

?

g.

-----Original Message-----

From: Candace McCoy

Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 11:55 AM

To: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)

Subject: RE: Seeking more insight

If the lieutenant governor wanted to make the point that most people are law-abiding, he should have said that.

I don't know what the person who wrote this paragraph is referring to.  S/he is comparing the 15% thing to the 2.5% statistic?  They are not describing the same thing at all.  I can't comment on this because I don't know what the person means.

Really, Selby, I know you have put a lot of work into this, but when you get gibberish like that in return, I'd say just put the thing to rest.  Report what you've got and don't try to respond to gibberish.

From: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin

Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 2:08 PM

To: Candace McCoy

Subject: RE: Seeking more insight

Why does this explanation strike you as gibberish? I need to explain to readers.

2:45 p.m.

It is gibberish because the spokesperson is now adding another statistic, i.e. the fact that 2.2 million people are in prison, but that is not related to the 15% statistic (which is itself wrong or at least highly debatable.)

I don't know how the two statistics supposedly relate to each other, if at all.

Candace

Professor Candace McCoy, J.D., Ph.D.

The Graduate Center and John Jay College City University of New York (CUNY)