Criminal Fun with Google Ngrams

If you’ve never wasted a good hour done scholarly research using Google Ngrams, let me explain. Google, that giant, data-collecting, statistics-loving monster, has scanned a couple-a-few-bajillion books spanning a couple of centuries. All of those words have gone into a giant, searchable database that produces graphs that show the relative frequency of your search terms. Some of what you find is serious, some of it is funny. What can Google Ngrams tell us about our field? You may wish you hadn’t asked.

Criminology vs. Criminal Justice

Murder, Homicide, Killing

Crime vs. Punishment

Policeman, Police Officer, Cop, Law Enforcement Officer

Sherlock Holmes vs. Hercule Poirot