CRIM1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Discourse Analysis, Participant Observation, Prevalence
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
White, R and Perrone, S (2015) Crime, Criminality and Criminal Justice, Oxford University
Press. Chapter 1 (pp. 20-36).
criminological research
- it is central to the production and evaluation of criminological theory
- the use of various methods to assist criminologists in researching and evaluating includes:
investigates, documents, analyse and interpret phenomenon
- research varies according with political persuasion and epistemological orientation
(understanding of knowledge and the acquisition of knowledge)
types of data collection
- process of gathering and collating information of interest to a particular investigation
- it is necessary to collect data in order to investigate research questions, test hypotheses,
analyse behaviours and meanings and evaluate outcomes
- formal data collection protocol is necessary to ensure that data collected is appropriate,
accurate and consistent
Quantitative Data
- quantitative data is concerned with counting and measurement (presented in
mathematical form)
- within criminology, quantitative research refers to the empirical investigation of social
phenomena (events/behaviours) via use of statistics, numerics
- not all empirical data is analytical
- quantitative deal with large scale studies and with large volumes of numerical data
- pertains to a cross section of study population (a sample of offenders officially processed)
- when undertaken quantitative research;
1.the researcher starts with a hypothesis/set of questions that reflect the conceptual
framework
2.numerical data is collected from sources (acquired from area of investigation)
3.the information collected are the aggregated and analysed using statistical methods to
test the hypothesis or answer the questions
common numerical expressions:
onumber: a simple numerical count that established the frequency of a
phenomenon
orate: coverts a frequency into a specific ratio, or expressed in units of time,
scaled to control for population size
Rates can be differentiated into:
oprevalence: proportion of the population that has committed a crime at a
specific point in time (point prevalence) during a period *counts all
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offenders*
oincident: the proportion of new offenders identified in a population over a
given period
otrend: broad changes in rate (up/down) over specified time periods
Qualitative Data
- qualitative data is concerned with describing and understanding human behaviour and
perceptions and the reasons governing that behaviour
- gaining information on decision making and enable the research to better appreciate the
social contexts and social processes that inform people’s actions
- generates hypotheses from the analysis of the data collected
- orientated toward small scale research
- qualitative researchers organise data into categorises or patterns of behaviour on coding
- quantitative researchers draw on a wide range of methodologies for gathering
information
•description: based upon fields notes and reflexive journal entries through participant or
non participant observation
•interviews: structure, semi structure or non structure discussion with research
participants on certain core questions or themes
•document analysis: aka textual/context analysis, involves a review and analysis of the
content of recorded human communications evident in books, diaries
Interpretive Data
- concerned with critical analysis
- data collected is in effect, the meanings of particular forms and types of information and
theories
- seeks to unpacks these meanings and situate them contextually
- provide critical appraise of taken for granted assumptions, opening doors for alternative
explanations, programs for action or suggestions for reforms
- intended to be a form of reflection on the social meaning of official documents, policy
statements, media reports, citizen attitudes
- interpretive research
• views human action as meaningful, historically and culturally contingent (subject to
change)
• concerned with identification and/or application to the material under review of the
perspectives that underlie key issues
Research Methods
- there are a number of different methods generally used in criminology
- go by a variety of names and serve to provide different kinds of information about the
social world
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Methods (Pre and Post Intervention Surveys)
- form of research that seeks to establish evidence of causation between two or more
variables
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- investigates the cause and effect of interventions on a test population
- primarily involves intervening in the lives of subjects for the purposes of determining an
outcome
- involves a process in which pre test measurement (taken from a targeted group/area)
before the experimental intervention is implemented
purpose is to observe the relationship between variables being tested
to establish the relationship between the independent variable/s (subject to manipulation
by the researchers) and the subject/s response (known as dependent variable, yet will
vary upon manipulation of the independent variable)
followed by post test measurement after the intervention has had taken to take effect
- pre test and post test measurements taken from a matched ‘control’ area (no
intervention); observe differences between the experimental grip or area, and the control
group or area (intervention)
- true experimental designs involve the random assignment of tests subjects to groups
- these studies have high levels of validity (measuring accuracy) and reliability (achieve
repeatable outcome if study is repeated)
Quasi Experimental
do not involve the use of random control groups
considered adequate but less rigorous than experimental designs
major concern of this research methodology is with group comprises using quantitative
data
major difficult is having full control over the numerous measures variables that may
impact the outcome
Some of the practical problems associated with this research method include:
ounderstanding that changes that occur in the area between pre test and post tests
measures may confound the results
oensuring that respondents are representative of the target population and the ability
to compare groups over time
odistinguishing between the impacts of the intervention and naturally occurring
fluctuations in social phenomena over time
ousing different measurements in the pre test and post tests phases
orecognises that experiments provide a black box view of causality (able to identify
average causal effects, but unable to explain the mechanism by which the observed
changes come about)
Naturalistic Methods (Descriptions and Perceptions of People)
- gaining information about people’s perceptions, meanings, and interpretations through
observing behaviour or asking them about specific features of their lived experiences, and
how norms/values/rules and justice practices impact their daily routines and behaviours
- emphasis on meaning and process
- gathering qualitative data (interviews/observations) and often involves narrative or
discourse analysis
- naturalist observation involves observing behaviour as it naturally unfolds without any
intervention by the researcher
obenefits; greater likelihood that the researcher is witnessing true behaviour
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Document Summary
White, r and perrone, s (2015) crime, criminality and criminal justice, oxford university. 20-36). criminological research it is central to the production and evaluation of criminological theory the use of various methods to assist criminologists in researching and evaluating includes: investigates, documents, analyse and interpret phenomenon. Research varies according with political persuasion and epistemological orientation (understanding of knowledge and the acquisition of knowledge) types of data collection. Quantitative data is concerned with counting and measurement (presented in mathematical form) Within criminology, quantitative research refers to the empirical investigation of social phenomena (events/behaviours) via use of statistics, numerics. Quantitative deal with large scale studies and with large volumes of numerical data. Pertains to a cross section of study population (a sample of offenders officially processed) 1. the researcher starts with a hypothesis/set of questions that reflect the conceptual framework. 2. numerical data is collected from sources (acquired from area of investigation)
