Criminological Research for Social Science Students
Preparation 1
Bows 2018
- Methods of research in criminology include
quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
- Article describes strengths and weaknesses
History of criminological - First dominated by positivist approaches and
research quantitative methods
- Now more recognition for qualitative methods
- Criminology first positivist and classical, then shifted
towards critical criminology and Chicago school which
recognized context more. Social, economic and political
factors became more important
Challenges of criminological research
1. Ethical concerns: ensure participant is not harmed
physically, mentally, socially
- This can be hard because research is about topics like
crime, violence and victimization
2. Need to balance scientific rigour with practical needs of
policymakers and criminal justice practitioners
- Balance science with practicality
Quantitative research Advantages
- Gathering numerical data and hypothesis testing
- Precise measurements
- Enables generalizations to larger populations
Disadvantages
- Reductionist/simplification
- Ignores context
- Misses part of subjective experience of individuals
Qualitative research Advantages
- Understand meaning and enables interpretation of
social phenomena
- Explore complex social processes
- Gain understanding of individual’s experience
Disadvantages, often:
- Time-consuming
- Unrepresentative sample
- Not able to generalize
Mixed methods Advantages
- Overcome limitations of quantitative and qualitative
methods
- Comprehensive understanding of research topic
- Validate and cross-check findings increase credibility
and reliability
Disadvantages
- Time-consuming
, - Requires expertise in both methods
- Integration is challenging
Important note Reflexivity
- Acknowledge position of researcher and how this
influences research
- Critical look on themselves required
Sampling strategies and - Sampling strategies and data collection methods
data collection methods important for quality and validity
Sampling
1. Probability sampling: all people of population same
chance of being included in sample
2. Non-probability sampling methods (convenience
sample, quota, snowball)
- Used in criminological research often bcs hard-to-reach
populations researched regularly
- Non-probability samples don’t always provide
representative sample and results in ungeneralizable
data
Data collection
1. Surveys
2. Interview
3. Focus groups
4. Observation
5. Document analysis
- Collection type depends on research question, type of
data needed, studies population
Ethics
- Informed consent
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
- Protect well-being of participant
Ethical consideration - The above bcs researching vulnerable populations:
prisoners, crime victims
- Researchers need to ensure safety and do no harm
against these people
Becker 1967
- Role of sociologists in social change
- Sociologists should align with oppressed and
marginalized groups in society
History - Sociologists viewed themselves as neutral observers of
society, detached from ppl and values
- This is impossible bcs values and biases always
influence work
- Therefore, reflexivity in order to guide research
Ethical implications - Criminologists need to be aware of their social and
political biases and the impact of these on their
, research and therefore on society
- Criminologists collaborate with law enforcement and
CJS impartiality? Objectivity?
- consider social and political implications of research
and potential harm to vulnerable groups
- Criminologists need to be critical of CJS challenge
assumptions and biases of the system, promote
equitable policy and practice
- Researchers should use research to advocate for social
justice
- Sociologists should work to study and solve social
problems
- Sociologists need to be critical of CJS, dominant
ideology and their own social and political biases
- Sociologists need to promote social change
Disadvantages of siding with marginalized
- Seen as biased or partisan decreased objectivity and
credibility
- Can still maintain objectivity when they are transparent
about values and biases + acknowledgment of
limitations of research
Examples of social - Du Bois: challenged dominant narrative of racial
change bcs sociologists inferiority and advocated racial equality for African
Americans
- Lazarsfeld: research on voting behaviour to challenge
idea that voters are rational actors + advocated for
policies that promote political participation
Conclusion - Sociologists can use research to promote social change
- Use research to address social problems
- Sociologists take side of oppressed and marginalized to
create equitable society
Ferrell 1997
- Verstehen in criminology
- Criminologists should strive to understand subjective
experiences of individual criminals
- Article challenges traditional criminological approaches
(traditional focus on objective measures of crime and
criminal behaviour)
Verstehen - Verstehen is method of understanding subjective
experience of individuals in their social context
- Verstehen used by Max Weber: understand social
phenomena from perspective of the ppl that
experience them
- Criminologists use verstehen to gain nuanced and
empathetic understanding of crime and criminal
behaviour
, - Traditional approaches saw crime and criminal
behaviour as objective facts that can be measured and
explained by scientific methodology
- Criminologists should use verstehen to understand
immediacy of crime or lived experience of individuals
involved in criminal activities
- Verstehen requires empathetic listening, observation,
interpretation of experiences and perspectives of
criminals
Limitations of traditional - Traditional approaches positivist and objectivist view of
approaches crime
- Crime would be measured by scientific methods
- Results of analyses would explain crime
- Traditional approach relies on quantitative data and
statistical analysis
- Fail to capture subjective experiences of individuals
Examples Verstehen used to understand immediacy of crime
- Research on culture of train hopping: participant
observation, interviews to understand lived experiences
of train hoppers
- Katz: verstehen to understand seductions of crime.
How individuals drawn to criminal activities
Why verstehen - Develop nuanced and comprehensive understanding of
crime
- Understand motivations and experiences of criminals
- Understand social and cultural context of crime
- Able to predict events in some occasions
Disadvantages
- Verstehen difficult to apply in practice bcs requires
deep understanding of social and cultural context of
crime
- Verstehen criticized bcs subjective and lacks empirical
rigour
Conclusion - Criminologists should use mixed methods approach
- Quantitative bcs reveals patterns and trends in crime
- Qualitative bcs understanding subjective experiences of
individuals
- Use verstehen to predict events or reactions, so
verstehen to develop effective and just responses to
crime
- Verstehen to gain understanding of experiences and
perspectives
- Verstehen does not mean abandoning rigour or
objectivity. Methods are complementary mixed-
methods
- Adopt more holistic and nuanced understanding of
crime and criminal behaviour
Preparation 1
Bows 2018
- Methods of research in criminology include
quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
- Article describes strengths and weaknesses
History of criminological - First dominated by positivist approaches and
research quantitative methods
- Now more recognition for qualitative methods
- Criminology first positivist and classical, then shifted
towards critical criminology and Chicago school which
recognized context more. Social, economic and political
factors became more important
Challenges of criminological research
1. Ethical concerns: ensure participant is not harmed
physically, mentally, socially
- This can be hard because research is about topics like
crime, violence and victimization
2. Need to balance scientific rigour with practical needs of
policymakers and criminal justice practitioners
- Balance science with practicality
Quantitative research Advantages
- Gathering numerical data and hypothesis testing
- Precise measurements
- Enables generalizations to larger populations
Disadvantages
- Reductionist/simplification
- Ignores context
- Misses part of subjective experience of individuals
Qualitative research Advantages
- Understand meaning and enables interpretation of
social phenomena
- Explore complex social processes
- Gain understanding of individual’s experience
Disadvantages, often:
- Time-consuming
- Unrepresentative sample
- Not able to generalize
Mixed methods Advantages
- Overcome limitations of quantitative and qualitative
methods
- Comprehensive understanding of research topic
- Validate and cross-check findings increase credibility
and reliability
Disadvantages
- Time-consuming
, - Requires expertise in both methods
- Integration is challenging
Important note Reflexivity
- Acknowledge position of researcher and how this
influences research
- Critical look on themselves required
Sampling strategies and - Sampling strategies and data collection methods
data collection methods important for quality and validity
Sampling
1. Probability sampling: all people of population same
chance of being included in sample
2. Non-probability sampling methods (convenience
sample, quota, snowball)
- Used in criminological research often bcs hard-to-reach
populations researched regularly
- Non-probability samples don’t always provide
representative sample and results in ungeneralizable
data
Data collection
1. Surveys
2. Interview
3. Focus groups
4. Observation
5. Document analysis
- Collection type depends on research question, type of
data needed, studies population
Ethics
- Informed consent
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
- Protect well-being of participant
Ethical consideration - The above bcs researching vulnerable populations:
prisoners, crime victims
- Researchers need to ensure safety and do no harm
against these people
Becker 1967
- Role of sociologists in social change
- Sociologists should align with oppressed and
marginalized groups in society
History - Sociologists viewed themselves as neutral observers of
society, detached from ppl and values
- This is impossible bcs values and biases always
influence work
- Therefore, reflexivity in order to guide research
Ethical implications - Criminologists need to be aware of their social and
political biases and the impact of these on their
, research and therefore on society
- Criminologists collaborate with law enforcement and
CJS impartiality? Objectivity?
- consider social and political implications of research
and potential harm to vulnerable groups
- Criminologists need to be critical of CJS challenge
assumptions and biases of the system, promote
equitable policy and practice
- Researchers should use research to advocate for social
justice
- Sociologists should work to study and solve social
problems
- Sociologists need to be critical of CJS, dominant
ideology and their own social and political biases
- Sociologists need to promote social change
Disadvantages of siding with marginalized
- Seen as biased or partisan decreased objectivity and
credibility
- Can still maintain objectivity when they are transparent
about values and biases + acknowledgment of
limitations of research
Examples of social - Du Bois: challenged dominant narrative of racial
change bcs sociologists inferiority and advocated racial equality for African
Americans
- Lazarsfeld: research on voting behaviour to challenge
idea that voters are rational actors + advocated for
policies that promote political participation
Conclusion - Sociologists can use research to promote social change
- Use research to address social problems
- Sociologists take side of oppressed and marginalized to
create equitable society
Ferrell 1997
- Verstehen in criminology
- Criminologists should strive to understand subjective
experiences of individual criminals
- Article challenges traditional criminological approaches
(traditional focus on objective measures of crime and
criminal behaviour)
Verstehen - Verstehen is method of understanding subjective
experience of individuals in their social context
- Verstehen used by Max Weber: understand social
phenomena from perspective of the ppl that
experience them
- Criminologists use verstehen to gain nuanced and
empathetic understanding of crime and criminal
behaviour
, - Traditional approaches saw crime and criminal
behaviour as objective facts that can be measured and
explained by scientific methodology
- Criminologists should use verstehen to understand
immediacy of crime or lived experience of individuals
involved in criminal activities
- Verstehen requires empathetic listening, observation,
interpretation of experiences and perspectives of
criminals
Limitations of traditional - Traditional approaches positivist and objectivist view of
approaches crime
- Crime would be measured by scientific methods
- Results of analyses would explain crime
- Traditional approach relies on quantitative data and
statistical analysis
- Fail to capture subjective experiences of individuals
Examples Verstehen used to understand immediacy of crime
- Research on culture of train hopping: participant
observation, interviews to understand lived experiences
of train hoppers
- Katz: verstehen to understand seductions of crime.
How individuals drawn to criminal activities
Why verstehen - Develop nuanced and comprehensive understanding of
crime
- Understand motivations and experiences of criminals
- Understand social and cultural context of crime
- Able to predict events in some occasions
Disadvantages
- Verstehen difficult to apply in practice bcs requires
deep understanding of social and cultural context of
crime
- Verstehen criticized bcs subjective and lacks empirical
rigour
Conclusion - Criminologists should use mixed methods approach
- Quantitative bcs reveals patterns and trends in crime
- Qualitative bcs understanding subjective experiences of
individuals
- Use verstehen to predict events or reactions, so
verstehen to develop effective and just responses to
crime
- Verstehen to gain understanding of experiences and
perspectives
- Verstehen does not mean abandoning rigour or
objectivity. Methods are complementary mixed-
methods
- Adopt more holistic and nuanced understanding of
crime and criminal behaviour
