Criminological Research for Social Science Student (RGBUSTR005)
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College aantekeningen/Lecture notes Criminological Research for Social Science Student (RGBUSTR005)
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Criminological Research for Social Science Student (RGBUSTR005)
Institution
Universiteit Utrecht (UU)
Dit document bevat uitgebreide aantekeningen van de hoorcolleges (week 1 t/m 8) + de voorbereidingsvragen voor het tentamen van het vak Criminological Research for Social Science Students. De aantekeningen zijn volledig in het Engels en bieden een grondige uitleg van verschillende concepten, onderz...
Criminological Research for Social Science Student (RGBUSTR005)
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Index:
Week 1:....................................................................................2
Lecture 1: Introduction to Criminological Research..........................................2
Week 2:....................................................................................6
Lecture 2: Open Interview..................................................................................6
Week 3:....................................................................................9
Lecture 3: Participant Observation.....................................................................9
Notes from Seminar 3:.....................................................................................13
Week 4:..................................................................................13
Lecture 4: Quantitative Research Methods in Criminology.............................13
Van de Veer, E. (2012):....................................................................................17
Week 5:..................................................................................17
Lecture 5: Online Methods...............................................................................17
Lecture 6: Discourse Analysis and Visual Methods........................................21
Week 7:..................................................................................25
Lecture 7: Qualitative Data Analysis...............................................................25
Week 8:..................................................................................28
Lecture 8: Ethnographic Research with Drug Users........................................28
Exam Preparation:............................................................................................30
1
,Week 1:
Lecture 1: Introduction to Criminological Research
Criminological research:
Interdisciplinary science
Different explanatory models:
o Psychology: why do people do what they do?
o Sociology: how does society react to crime?
o Economy: what can statistics tell us about crime?
Analysis level:
o Micro level, such as psychological and biological factors.
o Meso level, such as group dynamics and subcultures.
o Macro level, such as political system and cultural values.
Empirical research:
o Direct and indirect observations or experiences
Quantitative research versus qualitative research:
Quantitative research has to do with measuring the size of the nature of a
phenomenon, testing theories and hypotheses, and generalization.
o Describes how it happens.
o Quantitative is dominant. It provides broad data.
o N = large.
o Generalization of the findings.
o Examples of quantitative research:
Survey research, such as large-scale questionnaires.
Secondary analysis, using existing data.
Experimental laboratory research.
Longitudinal study.
Meta-analysis.
Qualitative research seeks to understand the deeper meanings and reasons behind
phenomena. It has to do with exploratory research, in-depth interviews, observations,
and media research.
o Explains why it happens.
o Provides in-depth data.
o N = small.
o Content-related.
o Examples of qualitative research:
In-depth interviews.
Focus groups.
Observational studies.
Ethnography.
A combination of both methods strengthens the quality of the research.
2
,Types of quantitative research:
Descriptive research: aims to describe the phenomena. Scope.
Correlational research: compares phenomena or crime Development and/or
coherence.
Experimental research: involves causal relationships and crime Testing.
Collecting quantitative data about crime:
Existing data at the police and judicial authorities:
o Illegal activity.
o Police reports.
o Criminal cases.
Non-judicial data, such as statistics:
o Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
o Crime and law enforcement (WODC & CBS).
o United Nations (UNSTATS & UNODC).
Victim or offender surveys:
o Safety monitor.
o CBS.
o Police monitor.
Self-report surveys:
o WODC.
Dark number:
The dark number is the portion of illegal activities that go unreported by authorities.
There is a gap between the actual occurrence of a crime and the number of crimes
officially reported.
Only a fraction of illegal activities are registered, because of underreporting by
victims, unobserved criminal activities, and inadequate data collection methods.
A large amount of data is missing.
Alternatives:
o Combining different sources (self-report, offender surveys, victim surveys).
o Combining research methods (quantitative/qualitative).
Non-response:
Non-response occurs when individuals selected for a study do not provide data
despite being approached by researchers.
There is a high non-response in criminological research.
People refuse to answer a question because of a fear of repercussions, concerns about
confidentiality, or distrust of researchers and authorities.
The same applies to participation in research.
3
, The empirical cycle:
1) Observation:
An idea arises from observation.
Something to explore.
Literature study to determine what is known.
2) Induction:
Formulate an abstract research question.
Guiding cause and measurable effect.
From specific to a generalization or theory.
Propositions and concepts.
3) Deduction:
Specify general theory.
Develop a workable hypothesis.
From the generalization or theory to the particular.
Operationalize.
4) Testing:
Conducting a research.
Collect the data.
Analyzing and testing.
5) Evaluation:
Confirm or reject the hypothesis or theory.
Sufficient evidence?
The theory can be...:
o Adjusted
o Expanded
o Improved
Population and sample:
Population is the collection of all research units, such as all the UU students.
Sample is a subset of the population.
o Data is collected from all the research units, this group represents the
population.
o The sample size is represented by the letter N.
Selective sampling versus random sampling:
Random sampling:
o Each member of the subset has an equal probability of being chosen.
Selective sampling:
o Participants are deliberately selected based on specific criteria that are of
interest to the researcher.
4
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