Chapters 1 and 2.ppt

8/9/2019 Chapters 1 and 2.ppt

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Science, Society andScience, Society and

Criminolgical ResearchCriminolgical Research

&&

The Process and ProblemsThe Process and Problemsof Criminologicalof Criminological

ResearchResearch

Science is Organized KnowledgeScience is Organized Knowledge

-Herbert Spencer-Herbert Spencer


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Thinking about what weThinking about what we

knowknowWe all know a lot of things, right?We all know a lot of things, right?

Drugs cause crimeDrugs cause crime

Criminal activity in youth causesCriminal activity in youth causes

criminal activity in adulthoodcriminal activity in adulthood

en commit more crime than womenen commit more crime than women

!overty causes crime!overty causes crime

"f course, this is too simplistic, right?"f course, this is too simplistic, right?


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How do we know weHow do we know we

know?know?#hese are e$amples that we don%t really#hese are e$amples that we don%t really

believe anymore, right? We recogni&ebelieve anymore, right? We recogni&e

that they are too simple' (t this stage wethat they are too simple' (t this stage we

recogni&e that things in life usually aren%trecogni&e that things in life usually aren%tthat simple'that simple'

)ut, there are things you take for granted,)ut, there are things you take for granted,right? So, how are we certain aboutright? So, how are we certain about

these things and not the preceding?these things and not the preceding?


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Indiidual !asedIndiidual !ased

"nowledge"nowledge(t this point in our educational and(t this point in our educational and

professional careers we%re not going toprofessional careers we%re not going to

fall for an oversimpli*ed +uestion likefall for an oversimpli*ed +uestion like

that, right?that, right?(nswers probably include things like(nswers probably include things like

Systematic observationSystematic observation

ongitudinal.historical perspectiveongitudinal.historical perspective

(nd other very sophisticated reasoning'(nd other very sophisticated reasoning'


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Is this the only we learn?Is this the only we learn?

et%s face it though, this isn%t really howet%s face it though, this isn%t really howwe learn is it?we learn is it?

!ersonnel interpretation plays an!ersonnel interpretation plays an

enormous role in how we /learn0 things'enormous role in how we /learn0 things'1t%s the reason we can all see the same1t%s the reason we can all see the same

thing, but learn very di2erent thingsthing, but learn very di2erent thingsfrom it'from it'

Does this type of knowledge have a placeDoes this type of knowledge have a placein science?in science?


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"nowledge and Science"nowledge and Science

What do we mean by science?What do we mean by science?

Science-Science-

//( set of logical, systematic,( set of logical, systematic,

documented methods for investigatingdocumented methods for investigating

nature and natural processes0nature and natural processes0

3)achman and Schutt, p' 45'3)achman and Schutt, p' 45'

Does this *t in well with the manner inDoes this *t in well with the manner in

which we learn things?which we learn things?


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Inestigating the SocialInestigating the Social

#orld#orld Hypotheses- ( statement ofHypotheses- ( statement of

relationship between two 3or more5relationship between two 3or more5

variables'variables' )ut, do we start with hypotheses?)ut, do we start with hypotheses?

6esearch 7uestions- +uestions that we6esearch 7uestions- +uestions that we

seek to answer through the collectionseek to answer through the collectionand analysis of valid and reliable data'and analysis of valid and reliable data'


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Research $uestionsResearch $uestions

6esearch +uestions are the source of6esearch +uestions are the source ofthe hypothesis'the hypothesis' 1dentifying a good research +uestion1dentifying a good research +uestion 6e*ning a research +uestion6e*ning a research +uestion 8valuating a research +uestion8valuating a research +uestion

9easibility9easibility

Social 1mportanceSocial 1mportance

Scienti*c 6elevanceScienti*c 6elevance

We often try to frame these +uestionsWe often try to frame these +uestions

within theory'within theory'


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#hat do we mean by#hat do we mean by

Theory?Theory?#heory- a set of statements about reality'#heory- a set of statements about reality'

#heoretical Constructs- items of interest#heoretical Constructs- items of interest

#hese constructs are usually what we are#hese constructs are usually what we are

trying to measure or study in more detailtrying to measure or study in more detail3our variables5'3our variables5'

So we%ve got +uestions, hypotheses,So we%ve got +uestions, hypotheses,variables and theories:where do theyvariables and theories:where do they

all go?all go?


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'Research Circle('Research Circle(

Inductie s) *eductieInductie s) *eductie

ReasoningReasoning

#H8"6;

D(#(

(#1"=S

H;!"#H8S1S

Inductie

Reasoning

startswith*ata

*eductie

Reasoni

ng


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*ata and +ariables*ata and +ariables

Data are pieces of informationData are pieces of information Constant- Data that does not varyConstant- Data that does not varyariables- Data that does varyariables- Data that does vary

ariables can be broken down evenariables can be broken down evenfurtherfurther

1ndependent ariables- ariables that1ndependent ariables- ariables thatimpact other variables'impact other variables' Dependent ariables- ariables that areDependent ariables- ariables that are

impacted by other variables'impacted by other variables'


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Indeendent s)Indeendent s)

*eendent*eendent

ariable(

ariable)

=either is 1ndependent or Dependentat this point'We%ve assumed no relationshi


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Indeendent s)Indeendent s)

*eendent*eendent

)ut if create a causal link betweenthem:

1ndependent

Dependent

"f course, we%re not limited to one

1ndependent variable'


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Tyes of ResearchTyes of Research

8$ploratory- Study of social phenomenon8$ploratory- Study of social phenomenon


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ethodologiesethodologies

7ualitative7ualitative ethods focused on analy&ing : as theethods focused on analy&ing : as the

individuals involved e$perience it'individuals involved e$perience it'

9ocus


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$ualitatie ethods$ualitatie ethods

9ocus


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ethodologiesethodologies

7uantitative7uantitative 6ecord information as numerical or6ecord information as numerical or

categorical data that varies alongcategorical data that varies along

speci*ed continuums'speci*ed continuums' SurveysSurveys 8$periments8$periments

9ocuses on general e$periences'9ocuses on general e$periences'(ssumes that most data can be(ssumes that most data can becollected within A*$ed% categories'collected within A*$ed% categories'


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$uantitatie ethods$uantitatie ethods

8$perimental 6esearch8$perimental 6esearch 1ntervention or #reatment1ntervention or #reatment

Survey 6esearchSurvey 6esearch 7uestionnaire7uestionnaire Structured 1nterviewingStructured 1nterviewing


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#hich is better?#hich is better?

6eally boils down to personnel preference'6eally boils down to personnel preference'( balancing act between the ability to be( balancing act between the ability to be

speci*c 3individual results5 versus thespeci*c 3individual results5 versus theability to generali&e to a larger population'ability to generali&e to a larger population'

$uantitatie $ualitati

e

-bility to.enerali/e

-bility to beSeci%c


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$ualitatie s)$ualitatie s)

$uantitatie$uantitatie#he most recent school of thought is that#he most recent school of thought is that

these two types of methodology don%tthese two types of methodology don%t

have to be thought of as competing'have to be thought of as competing'

7uantitative 7ualitativeI01*1TH2*

S


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How do we get started?How do we get started?

( good way to start is to understand( good way to start is to understand

our limitations'our limitations'

(s we will read in the posted article,(s we will read in the posted article,

much of our research does not standmuch of our research does not stand

the test of time'the test of time'

What do we need to be worried about?What do we need to be worried about?


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.eneral 1rrors In.eneral 1rrors In

ResearchResearch "vergenerali&ation"vergenerali&ation

(ssuming that one outcome applies to a(ssuming that one outcome applies to a

larger audience'larger audience'

Selective "bservationSelective "bservation Bsing data on a poorly sampledBsing data on a poorly sampled

group.person to understand the largergroup.person to understand the largerpopulation.universe'population.universe'


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.eneral 1rrors In.eneral 1rrors In

Research, cont)Research, cont) 1llogical 6easoning1llogical 6easoning

umping to a conclusion with inade+uateumping to a conclusion with inade+uateevidence'evidence'

6esistance to Change6esistance to Change #he inability to recogni&e when your idea or#he inability to recogni&e when your idea or

assumption isn%t working'assumption isn%t working'

We often frame these general errors inWe often frame these general errors interms of validity and reliability concerns'terms of validity and reliability concerns'

S i S i tt


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Science, Societyc ence, oc etyand Criminolgicaland Criminolgical

ResearchResearch&&

The Process ofThe Process of

CriminologicalCriminological

ResearchResearchScience is Organized KnowledgeScience is Organized Knowledge

-Herbert Spencer-Herbert Spencer

Chapters 1 and 2.ppt

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Transcript of Chapters 1 and 2.ppt