Insights Into Regression Analysis

Regression analysis is a statistical tool for the investigation of relationships between variables. In essence, it is a technique for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. Social scientists use regression analysis to ascertain the causal effect of one variable upon another. Regression analysis in general is the most commonly performed statistical procedure in the social science field, but there are several different types of regression techniques that you may encounter when analyzing criminal justice research. The first commonly used type of regression analysis is linear regression. Linear regression is used to show the linear relationship between two variables. If you collected data that suggested that- hypothetically- as offenders' age increases, rates of recidivism decrease, you could use linear regression to show this relationship. On a graph, the regression line of such a research problem would slope downward to the right, representing the fact that as individuals get older, they commit fewer crimes.

In social research, however, it is rarely the case that causal relationships can be explained by the relationship between a dependent variable and only one independent variable. It is often the case that multiple factors (i.e., variables) influence a dependent variable, in which case multiple regression is necessary. Multiple regression also fits a regression line to a dataset, but incorporates the effect of two or more variables on the dependent variable in question. For instance, for the example above, the regression line might look a bit different if you also factored in marriage status or geographic region, in addition to age, as a predictor of recidivism.

For this Discussion, select one of the articles in this week's Learning Resources. Examine the article, focusing on which regression technique was used by the article's author when conducting the research presented. Consider the implications of the technique used and any insights you gained about using regression analysis in criminal justice research.