You may remember the fuss about government statistics on piracy being based on adjusted, interpolated figures sourced from industry lobbyists.
Heresy Corner has a super piece on 'Abusing the evidence' (about amongst other things, sex trafficking) that shows that the use of selective statistics to support UK government policy making is endemic. As the Heresiarch puts it..
"The government has loudly proclaimed its commitment to "evidence-based policy-making" while instead pursuing policy-based evidence making."
Statistics is only evidence if it is honestly presented - and scientifically valid. Fudging the figures will just lead to bad policy - and bad government.
Do I mean will - or has?
Thursday 22 October 2009
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