Measure in Social Research

Measure in Social Research

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to expand the boundaries of the author's knowledge by exploring some relevant facts related to Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology. The general steps in empirical research in criminal justice are problem formulation, research design, data collection methods, analysis and presentation of findings and conclusions, interpretations, and limitations. The crime research is seen as a real and historical fact. Their study and understanding are inseparable from consideration of the offender and the social reality of it. Interested in the etiology of crime is, identifying its causes and phenomena. The purpose of the criminal research is not to establish the legal order, but to fight the social phenomenon of crime, protect society. It gives priority to the study of the offender (Maxfield, 1995).

Exploration research

In the exploration phase, the researcher must take into consideration the purpose of research. Investigative techniques in the exploration phase, facilitates data prediction tools such as observation, Interview (exploratory and informal), collection of documents (printed materials) and representation graphic (image), clear answers, feasibility and realism. All research is done with a purpose or goal for what is considered the objectives of the research are varied and we consider some aspects such as concrete, feasible, qualitative and quantitative, these formulated with the help of some verbs that will clearly point out the expected results. At this stage the justification of the research is necessary for the motivation of the study, which should indicate the source of inquiry considering two items that can be direct and indirect justification of the research problem is the answer to the question. Interview is used as a method of exploration, as a conversation in which the researcher obtains information from the interviewee on any aspect of his or her personality. There are several types of interviews: clinical, sorting or professional guidance, legal, welfare, etc. In crime research, if the object is to identify the relationships between the facts to achieve a true understanding of the phenomenon under study, such studies are case studies, comparative studies and causal correlation studies (Hagan, 2008).

Descriptive research

In criminology, the objective of descriptive research is to get to know the situations prevailing customs and attitudes through the exact description of the activities, objects, processes and people. Their goal is not limited to data collection, but the prediction and identification of relationships between two or more variables. Researchers are not just tabs, but the data collected on the basis of a hypothesis or theory, and summarize the information presented carefully and then carefully analyze the results, in order to draw meaningful generalizations that contribute to knowledge. Descriptive or inferential statistics are the quantitative data analytical procedures, while thematic identification or the identification of the horizontal or vertical connections among themes or categories is commonplace in qualitative research (Dressler, 2002).

Stages

Examine the characteristics of the chosen problem

Define and formulate their hypothesis

Sets out the assumptions underlying the assumptions and processes adopted.

Pick the topics and the appropriate sources

Select or develop techniques for data ...