Research Methods in Crime and Justice Chapter 1 The Research Practice.

Research Methods in Crime and Justice

Chapter 1The Research Practice

What are Research Methods?

• The tools, techniques and procedures that researchers use to ask and answer questions.– How many police officers are there in the United

States?– How much money do we spend annually on

prisons?– What causes a person to become a serial

murderer?– An a violent offender be rehabilitated?

What is Research?

• The term ‘research’ has two meanings.• As a verb ‘research’ means to follow a logical process

that uses concepts, principles and techniques to produce knowledge.– We are researching the factors that are related to juvenile

delinquency.• As a noun ‘research’ is a collection of information that

represents what we know about a particular topic.– The research suggests that lack of parental supervision is

related to juvenile delinquency

What is Research?

• Research in the social sciences (like criminal justice) is more challenging than in the physical sciences.– The concepts that social scientists study are more

difficult to measure.– The findings produced by social researchers are

more difficult to interpret.

Why do Research?

• Well planned and executed research produces verifiable facts.

• The alternatives to research may not provide verifiable facts.– Media reports on an alleged crime wave caused by

displaced Hurricane Katrina victims were found to be false by an objective researcher.

– Katrina victims did not increase crime in the cities they were displaced to

Alternatives to Research

• Authority – Some experts are wrong.• Tradition or custom – Societies change and so

do their traditions and customs.• Common sense – What makes sense to one

person or social group may not make sense to another.

• Media – Information distributed through the mass media may not be objective, valid or sensitive to context.

Who Does Research?

• Some people conduct research for a living.– University professors– Consultants

• Other people conduct research as part of their job.– Criminal justice professionals

• Anyone who follows a methodological process to produce knowledge is conducting research

Different Types of Research

• Research can be classified into one of three categories.– Exploratory research – Often necessary when we

know very little about a new or emerging social trend.

– Descriptive research – Documents existing social conditions or trends.

– Explanatory research – Attempts to find a cause for social trends and phenomena.

• These categories are not mutually exclusive.

Different Types of Research

• Research may be classified in terms of the researcher’s initial intention.– Pure research – Research initially conducted for the

sole purpose of expanding the body of knowledge.– Applied or Action research – Research initially

conducted for the purpose of addressing a particular problem or issue.

• Pure research can later be applied to a problem and applied research can later be used to expand the body of knowledge.

Where is Research Found?

• Academic and scholarly journals• Research monographs• Textbooks• Newspapers and magazines• Trade publications• Corporate research reports• Legislative actions and policy actions• Databases

Where is Research Found?

• Peer review – A collaborative process whereby researchers who are knowledgeable about a particular subject are asked to review and comment on another researcher’s work and recommend whether it should be published.

• Normally done for publication in academic or scholarly journals.

• Enhances the overall quality of the research.

How is Research Used?

• Researchers conduct research to;– Expand the body of knowledge,– Establish professional credentials,– Inform legal and policy decisions,– Address social problems,– Develop new products or services,– Advance social and political agenda, and– Improve professional practice

When is Research Important?

• Research is the foundation upon which we expand the body of knowledge.

• Research is important when we want to;– Respond to critical social problems,– Allocate limited resources wisely, and– Base policy decision on evidence rather than

ideology.

Getting to the Point

• Research methods are the tools, techniques and procedures that researchers use to ask and answer questions.

Getting to the Point

• As a verb, ‘research’ means to follow a logical process that uses concepts, principles and techniques to produce knowledge.

• As a noun, ‘research’ is a collection of information that represents what we know about a particular topic.

Getting to the Point

• Research in the social sciences is more challenging than in the physical sciences because the concepts that social scientists study are more difficult to measure and the findings that social scientists produce are more difficult to interpret.

Getting to the Point

• Relying on authority, tradition or custom, common sense and the media for accurate knowledge is risky. There is no substitute for good research in the pursuit of reliable knowledge.

Getting to the Point

• All sorts of people conduct research.

• Some people and organizations conduct research for a living.

• Anyone who follows a methodological process to produce knowledge is conducting research.

Getting to the Point

• Research can be classified into three different categories.

• Exploratory research is often necessary in order to learn about social trends and phenomena that we know very little about.

• Descriptive research describes social trends and phenomena.

• Explanatory research attempts to explain or find a cause for social trends and phenomena. Sometimes a research project can have more than one purpose.

Getting to the Point

• Research may also be classified in terms of how the researcher intends to use the research.

• Pure research is conducted primarily to advance theory and to expand the body of knowledge.

• Applied or action research is conducted primarily to address a specific issue or solve a particular problem.

Getting to the Point

• Peer review is a collaborative process whereby researchers who are knowledgeable about a particular subject are asked to review and comment on another researcher’s work and recommend whether it should be published.

Getting to the Point

• Research can be found in academic journals, books, newspapers, magazines, legislative actions, policy decisions and databases. Some of this information is more objective and accurate than others.

Getting to the Point

• Researchers conduct research to expand the body of knowledge, establish professional credentials, inform legal and policy decisions, address social problems, develop new products or services, advance social or political agendas and improve professional practice.

Getting to the Point

• Research is the foundation upon which we expand the body of knowledge. Research is also important when we want to respond to critical social problems, allocate limited resources wisely and base policy decisions on evidence rather than ideology.

Research Methods in Crime and Justice

Chapter 1The Research Practice