Using Multiple Flawed Measures to Construct Valid and Reliable Rates of Homicide by Police

Abstract

The study of homicide by police (HbP) has been hampered by measurement error in existing data. This study draws from three separate flawed data systems and uses confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to quantify and correct for these errors. Results show that the CFA models presented can be used to construct more valid and reliable measures of sub-national HbP rates. The improved measures are useful for conducting analyses of causes and correlates of HbP. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.