Research Week 10 Assignment

Criminology

Research Week 10 Assignment

Instructions:-

  • Locate six articles on a research topic of your interest—two quantitative research articles, two qualitative research articles, and two mixed methods research articles—published in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Prepare an annotated bibliography that includes the following:
    • A one-paragraph introduction that provides context for why you selected the research articles you did.
    • A reference list entry in APA Style for each of the six articles that follows proper formatting. Follow each reference list entry with a three-paragraph annotation that includes:
    • A one-paragraph conclusion that presents a synthesis of the six articles.
  • Format your annotated bibliography in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced. A separate References list page is not needed for this assignment.

Solution

Research Week 10 Assignment

Introduction

Criminology is an interesting field of study and it sets out to determine the behavior of criminals in relation to their activities. Various research initiatives have been undertaken to find out the patterns formed by these behaviors. They have been categorized as qualitative methods, quantitative methods and mixed methods. All of them are developed systematically according to international standards and they have been used appropriately to help find out more about their related fields in criminology. This has in effect caused more awareness on the procedures that are followed in determining the behavior of criminals and their allies. This paper sets out to understand these methods and their applications within their setting.

Qualitative Articles

Full-Text Citaion

Jenkins, M. J. (2015). The use of qualitative methods and practitioners-as-authors in journal publications of police research. Police Practice and Research, 16(6), 499–511. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2014.978319

In-Text Citation

(Jenkins, 2015)

Summary

The aim of this paper is to examine two major areas which are criminology and criminal justice research in relation to police scholarship. It is evident from recent academic articles that they are some of the major issues when considering the enforcement of justice. Despite the presence of the numerous qualitative research methods, they have been underutilized in the initiative to do research in policy making. This article contains the results of the content and results of chi-square analyses of 88 empirical studies of the police departments in the U.S as they have been published in the top policing and CCJ journals. It also outlines how disproportionate the use of quantitative methods has been in relation to qualitative methods. The rates in which these methods have been used have also been discussed and their significance noted in the society. The research done in the chi-square analyses also holds information about the funding sources and topics, police researchers, police practitioners and the levels of law enforcement involved in collaborating with the police in performing their duties. In determining the data used to run this research, only police specific sources were used in collecting information used in getting the results got in the experiment.

Analysis

The justice system of any country is important to its development thus several research initiatives need to be done in order to make it feasible. Qualitative research serves to improve it through providing quality services for the judicial system in the efforts to improve it. Scholars have worked tirelessly to improve the delivery of justice in this system thus they have put a lot of research into it. The involvement of the police is mandatory due to their importance in their duty of enforcing the law to the citizens. It is therefore necessary that they learn new methods of enforcing the law due to the emergence of a new generation of people within their outreach. The qualitative research results also help them get accustomed to the new trends and expand their workforce accordingly. This process required a substantial amount of money and the fruits of the efforts are undoubtedly beneficial in every sense. The results have also caused a stir in the education of police officers. It is known that some of them haven’t attained a high academic level thus advocacy for them to increase their literacy levels has been heavily vouched for in recent times. Law enforcement should be held at the highest regard in any country so as to achieve peaceful living conditions. Research should be further conducted to find any more additional issues that affect the judicial system and the development of criminology in the country.

Application

This data has been applied in the publication of more police related scholarly articles which have been instrumental in helping police officers know more about their surroundings. They have in turn showed better attitude in the handling of matters related to law enforcement within their areas. The relations between them with other citizens has also been better ever since the results were released for them to read.

Full-Text Citaion

Jacques, S. (2014). The quantitative–qualitative divide in criminology: A theory of ideas’ importance, attractiveness, and publication. Theoretical Criminology, 18(3), 317–334. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362480613519467

In-Text Citation

(Jacques, 2014)

Summary

This article focuses on the ‘why” question in accordance to how quantitative methods are used much more than the qualitative methods of research. The perspective through which this article is developed is the paradigm of Blackian sociology. In this ideology, qualitative research methods in criminology are evaluated to be less important than quantitative methods due to the fact that they place the subject closer to the source and audience in relation to the cultural distance. Despite this feature about them, they are viewed as being more attractive. The implications of criminology are also discussed in this paper, with emphasis being placed on the qualitative-quantitative divide along with the theory of ideas and theory of methods. The prominence of each method is analyzed, and in the process the impacts of the assessment and discontinuation of criminal justice policies are determined after which they get converted to practices. The implementation of these policies results impacts the success of scholars’ publications, their tenure, promotion and success. This process enables the scholarly community to determine the relevance of a publication and their initiative to use it effectively. In addition to that, it adds relevant information to the police departments and other law enforcement agencies involved in that they get more knowledgeable to matters pertaining to their field of expertise.

Analysis

This article has been developed well structurally and it addresses the issue of qualitative vs. quantitative methods effectively. The methods should be interdependent in realizing new methods that should be used in finding out more about the justice system. The overdependence of one method may cause a shift in the balance considered in maintaining justice within a state. In as much as quantitative research methods are preferable when testing a theory, qualitative research should be highly considered when the quality of research is being considered. It should be noted that the credibility of the research matters since it is from it that conclusions are made. These conclusions are fundamental in the development of laws that are necessary to enforce the justice system. Judging the credibility of a method should not be done only quantitatively because the majority may be misled by some unseen factors within a system. It is therefore wrong to base the worthiness of a method through the quantitative results of a research method.

Application

The theory stipulated by this article has become applicable in determining how officials from the justice system relate with the citizens of a given state. They have based the relevance of their interaction through the opinion of the majority of the participants who partook in the research process. Their consultation in the matter made sure that other citizens’ participation was recognized in the exercise thus they contributed to the validity of the results.  Relative opinion brought by the participants has led to the realization of the diversity that needs to be included in the development of these policies used in ensuring justice in the judicial system.

Quanitative Resaerch Articles

Full-Text Citaion

Gau, J. M. (2010). Basic Principles and Practices of Structural Equation Modeling in Criminal Justice and Criminology Research. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 21(2), 136–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511251003693660

In-Text Citation

(Gau, 2010)

Summary

This article explains the significance of having structural equation modeling as an instrumental method of conducting quantitative analysis. It indicates the growth that it has undergone over the years and the influence that it has had on researchers everywhere worldwide. Social scientists are the ones that use the method most since it can be used in finding out information about a variety of topics applicable to the social sciences. It also highlights the various software programs that have been developed to aid in the conduction of research and compilation of results. The introduction of SEM into the field of criminal justice and criminology has been a major step leading to the growth of the field. The article further sets out to explain the use of SEM in the criminology field. It does this by explaining to the most basic of users how to operate it and handle it. This helps the reader of the article know the program in detail and makes the importance of the program be known to the reader in relation to the justice system. This contributes to the public awareness of the program to the citizens and helps them know exactly how it works. Apart from that, it fosters a great relationship between the citizens and the judicial system.

Analysis

It is true that the SEM program is important in the judicial and criminology system in any state. The growth of its implementation has surely made an impact in the judicial system since it is now easier to determine the verdict of majority of the public through quantitative analysis. The processing of information has also been improved because it is now easier to analyze collected data with minimal errors. The growth of technology has obviously influenced the use of this method and it obviously has had both positive and negative effects on the judicial system. On one hand, it has resulted to the decrease of errors in the research conducted by justice departments; on the other hand, it has led to the loss of some jobs due to the reduced work force caused by the implementation of the software. The use of quantitative methods of research will definitely be affected by the use of technology due to its growing influence in the world right now. Due to this fact, the criminology and criminal justice departments need to find more ways in which the SEM could be implemented to show advancement of the field with respect to technology. If anything it will make work easier for the officials at the judicial department in a state. It will also introduce new advanced methods of doing things.

Application

The application of the SEM system has been seen in the most recent judicial system achievements such as the election of new members of the judiciary and other officials of the criminology department. It has been used substantially in collecting information from participants of surveys and the information collected has been grouped according to the participants’ responses. The information collected by the SEM program has been instrumental in influencing the choice of official members of the judiciary in effect.

Full-Text Citaion

Liu, J., Francis, B., & Soothill, K. (2011). A Longitudinal Study of Escalation in Crime Seriousness. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 27(2), 175–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-010-9102-x

In-Text Citation

(Liu, Francis, & Soothill, 2011)

Summary

This article sets out to outline two types of escalation process-escalation trajectories that are associated with the criminal justice process. It also highlights the need to measure the seriousness with which the judiciary measures the intensity of criminal activities. The use of quantitative methods in measuring this seriousness has been a problem in the recent past since it can’t be quantified. A scale of offenses has been developed to help in solving the issue but it is still not full applicable due to the diverse opinions that people have in perceiving the wrongs that other people have done. The individual comments about the degree of criminal nature about a crime was quantified through methods such as the use of longitudinal mixed models, the number of conviction occasions, the sex and number of offenders were used as covariates. The results of the article mainly suggested that de-escalation was highly influenced by ageing while escalation was highly influenced by the number of conviction occasions. The conceptual framework that stipulates this model helps to dispute any discrepancies that may occur in the quantification process.

Analysis

There are many people that have been affected negatively by wrong judgment of their characters. This has happened mostly when people are found committing crime in foreign states away from home. The impact that this has had on the judicial system is negative. This can be attributed to the fact that there is no standard on which the crimes of different people could be measured. Crime has escalated greatly over the previous years due to some factors in the economies of many countries. The reason why it is difficult to study criminal justice through quantitative methods is because of the changing dynamics that present themselves in different times. They cause a considerable shift in the way through which crimes are quantified thus creating the need for changing the methods in which these analyses are done. Experimental quantitative research methods could be the best way to handle the emerging trends present in the world of criminology. With the experiments being set in their specific setting, they can serve the purpose of knowing the dynamics of every situation as it occurs thus solving the problems according to their time. The solutions got will obviously be temporary but it will perform its purpose accordingly. The degree of the felonies committed will therefore be dependent on the circumstance in which the criminal has been found in. This will help in reinforcing the decision-making system of the criminology panels in every state.

Application

The use of quantitative research methods in the determination of the degree of a crime can be applied through the use of opinions got from people within the criminal justice positions. Their influence on the matter is highly validated due to the credibility of their reputations and the studies that they have gone through. They can be also used in surveys which collect the opinion that resonates in the majority over a sample of people. They can be useful in knowing that which needs to be done in order to maintain order within a state and at the same time provide safety and justice for all those that reside in it.

Mixed Methods Research Articles

Full-Text Citaion

Reid, J. A., Beauregard, E., Fedina, K. M., & Frith, E. N. (2014). Employing mixed methods to explore motivational patterns of repeat sex offenders. Journal of Criminal Justice, 42(2), 203–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2013.06.008

In-Text Citation

(Reid, Beauregard, Fedina, & Frith, 2014)

Summary

This article sets out to explain the motivation that sexual offenders experience when they get the initiative to sexually offend other people. In recent years, the number of sexual offences has been on the rise and in effect they have affected many lives in the wrong way. Patterns of these offenders have been studied through mixed methods i.e. quantitative and qualitative analyses. These methods have provided an insight on the motivating factors of sexual offenders, the relationship between the different types of sexual offences and the estimated influence of the sexual offences on the victims. These methods have shown that there are five major groupings that categorize the form of sexual offences which were attributed to two major underlying motivations. They were found to be sexual satisfaction and aggression.  The victims of these cases were classified under the common factor analysis (CFA) in relation to the crime events that took place. One major factor that influenced the attacks was the obsession that an offender had towards a victim. The degree of the actions an offender inflicted on a victim were highly dependent on the degree of obsession as well.

Analysis

Sexual offences are some of the most traumatizing experiences that an individual can go through. Many lives have been altered in a bad way because of the experiences that some victims have gone through. These effects may haunt an individual throughout his/her lifetime and cause some permanent damage to a person. The use of common factor analysis has been instrumental in finding out the major motivational factors that contribute to the wave of sexual offenses. CFA being a standard method of analysis has led to some interesting results. Interviews conducted on some 69 offenders were productive and they showed that most of the sexual offenders were not sane in their pursuit of victims. The quantitative aspect of these results showed how the stability of the mind contributed to this behavior in people. The qualitative aspect of the mixed methods showed the degree to which the impact of the offenses has affected the victims. The results were undoubtedly beneficial in that they highlighted the analyzed behavior of these offenders. It all goes down to the mind when considering the behavior of these offenders. The environment in which they were brought up influences a great deal of their character thus it translates into their behavior when they are adults. Their number therefore increases as the cases of domestic violence increases within households in the communities. They are simply imitators of what they get to see at a younger age.

Application

The application of these mixed methods has definitely been worth the effort due to the impact that they have had on the discovery of the motivation of the sexual offenders. They cover all the angles involved in the discovery of this matter and the CFA method of analysis is a combination of the two research methods.  They are much better than using quantitative or qualitative methods individually since they provide a symbiotic relationship in finding out the truth behind a matter. The mixed methods should therefore be used more often because of the credibility of the results found by it. They are reliable due to the aspect of covering the two aspects of research altogether.

Full-Text Citaion

Brent, J. J., & Kraska, P. B. (2010). Moving Beyond our Methodological Default: A Case for Mixed Methods. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 21(4), 412–430. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2010.516562

In-Text Citation

(Brent & Kraska, 2010)

Summary

The aim of this paper is to highlight the possible transformation of redefining the use of mixed methods in the conduction of research within the wide field of criminology. Mixing the methods needs to be legalized so that research can be more effective in the realization of the findings got in the process. It also recognizes the credibility of mixing the methods for the efficient delivery of results. The diversity of the research conducted is also an added advantage that is posed by the use of both methods. The criminology field could be further developed through this process and important changes made in the judicial system.

Analysis

The multi-dimensional aspect of using both qualitative and quantitative methods of research is one aspect that should be commended in the process. Criminal justice is a wide field and it needs to be explored in the best way possible. The infrastructure on which the research methods are built should accommodate the possibility of having new methods in the process. This helps in furthering the research and creating an atmosphere that accepts the movement of several different ideas at a time. What this does is promoting the interaction between a researcher and an audience as well as actively engages them in the process required in getting the results. The compatibility of the research methods also increases since each of the known methods can be used alternately during the research process and in turn resonating results can be found.

Application

The use of mixed methods is highly applicable in investigating research topics that contain several variables as the operating factors. Criminology being a wide field is subject to this and there are several dynamics that govern it in different ways. The only true way of effectively exploring these dynamics is through applying both methods at the same time. Plenty of results can be obtained from this form of research and the best ones can be chosen from the best of the alternatives. The use of mixed methods also eradicates the dependence of a system on one way of thinking and diversifies the scope of mentality of the researchers as well as the participants of the research.

Synthesis

From the analysis of these articles, it is evident that the use of mixed methods of research is more beneficial than using individual research methods. The credibility of using both methods at once poses a greater chance of having credible results as opposed to using only one method. Furthering the field of criminology requires a lot of effort and resources directed into research and the greater the intensity with which it is done, the greater the amounts of the results will be. This will lead to better justice and criminology management systems that will in effect improve the state of the judicial system in the country.

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