Research Methods in Criminal Justice Introduction Errors in

Research Methods in Criminal Justice Introduction

Errors in Reasoning 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Overgeneralization Selective Observation Inaccurate Observation Illogical Reasoning Resistance to Change

Developing a Research Question • A question about some aspect of crime or criminals that you seek to answer through the collection and analysis of firsthand, verifiable, empirical data. • A research question should be feasible, socially important, & scientifically relevant.

Basic versus Applied • Basic research addresses general & fundamental questions about the nature of phenomena. • Applied research addresses specific, concrete questions or pragmatic problems.

Purposes of Social Science Research • Descriptive How many people are victims of violence? • Exploratory What is going on here? • Explanatory Why do people become offenders? • Evaluation What are the effects of this program?

• Description: What is the Magnitude of Youth Violence? • Exploration: How do Schools Respond to Gun Violence? • Explanation: What Factors are Related to Youth Delinquency and Violence? • Evaluation: Do Violence Prevention Programs in Schools Work?

Two Domains of Research • Quantitative Methods: Data that are treated as quantitative are either numbers or attributes that can be ordered in terms of magnitude. • Qualitative Methods: Designed to capture social life as participants experience it, rather than in categories predetermined by the researcher.

Types of Research Methods • • Experimental Approach Surveys or Questionnaires Participant Observation Intensive Interviewing Secondary Data Analysis Content Analysis Crime Mapping