Which of the following may be a concern if we are interested in studying "career drug dealers" and we use our friend from the probation department to act as our informant into that subculture?
A) those getting probation may be first time offenders
B) those getting probation have obviously been caught, thus will not reflect those that have more skill and have not been apprehended
C) there may be some drug dealers who entered into plea negotiations and plead to possession instead of dealing
D) all of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option A is a concern because career drug dealers may not have a criminal record yet, and thus may not have gone through the probation system. Option B is also a concern because those who have been caught and put on probation may not represent the entire subculture of career drug dealers, as some may have more skill and have not been apprehended. Finally, option C is a concern because some drug dealers may have entered into plea negotiations and plead to possession instead of dealing, which would not be reflected in the data obtained through the probation department informant. Therefore, all three options are a concern when studying career drug dealers through an informant in the probation department.

Which of the Following May Be a Concern If We