Cja 324 Research In Criminal Justice Paper
Research in Criminal Justice
Joshua Johnston
CJA/324
March 2015 Criminal justice is one of countless career fields that utilizes research in its everyday functions. Each and every department or organization has its own type of research, as well the focus of that research. From psychological research and criminal analysis, to advances in the way crime scenes and evidence are processed. Research is a very important part of the technological advances and information gains in the world of criminal justice.
In criminal justice there are two types of research that are used regularly. The first one is called pure research. Pure research is a systematic study directed towards greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of …show more content…
The two most common methods of research that are used to do so are qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research puts a greater focuses on the meaning and characteristics of a given event or set of events. Determining the type of personality that might fit a crime or string of crimes is an example of qualitative research called profiling. Quantitative research is a much less personable type of research. This kind of research collects information using science. Cross referencing a DNA sample, collecting geological information from trace evidence, and even performing ballistics studies on weapons and ammunition are all prime examples of the quantitative research …show more content…
Knowing what these terms mean can be the difference between accurate gathering and interpretation, and blindly gathering information that one cannot use properly. Social research is theoretical, meaning that much of it is concerned with developing, exploring, or testing the theories that social researchers have about how the world operates.(eLearn Portal, n.d.) Empirical means that the information obtained is based on perception of the surrounding world, as you perceive it to be. The term nomothetic just means that something pertains to a case or situation in general, nonspecific. Laws that can be applied to an individual are called idiographic. Inference relates to the probabilities in research. Each of these terms are important to understand when conducting, reviewing, or interpreting research.
Failure to understand these and the numerous other terms would make any member of the criminal justice profession’s job very difficult.
In conclusion, research exists to create new information, develop new methods of criminology, and reinforce or enhance existing knowledge. From the highest officials in criminal justice all the way to the low man or woman on the totem pole, research is a key part of the occupation. Educating oneself with the research process can mean the difference in a job done efficiently and a sloppy version of justice. Research will always
Joshua Johnston
CJA/324
March 2015 Criminal justice is one of countless career fields that utilizes research in its everyday functions. Each and every department or organization has its own type of research, as well the focus of that research. From psychological research and criminal analysis, to advances in the way crime scenes and evidence are processed. Research is a very important part of the technological advances and information gains in the world of criminal justice.
In criminal justice there are two types of research that are used regularly. The first one is called pure research. Pure research is a systematic study directed towards greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of …show more content…
The two most common methods of research that are used to do so are qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research puts a greater focuses on the meaning and characteristics of a given event or set of events. Determining the type of personality that might fit a crime or string of crimes is an example of qualitative research called profiling. Quantitative research is a much less personable type of research. This kind of research collects information using science. Cross referencing a DNA sample, collecting geological information from trace evidence, and even performing ballistics studies on weapons and ammunition are all prime examples of the quantitative research …show more content…
Knowing what these terms mean can be the difference between accurate gathering and interpretation, and blindly gathering information that one cannot use properly. Social research is theoretical, meaning that much of it is concerned with developing, exploring, or testing the theories that social researchers have about how the world operates.(eLearn Portal, n.d.) Empirical means that the information obtained is based on perception of the surrounding world, as you perceive it to be. The term nomothetic just means that something pertains to a case or situation in general, nonspecific. Laws that can be applied to an individual are called idiographic. Inference relates to the probabilities in research. Each of these terms are important to understand when conducting, reviewing, or interpreting research.
Failure to understand these and the numerous other terms would make any member of the criminal justice profession’s job very difficult.
In conclusion, research exists to create new information, develop new methods of criminology, and reinforce or enhance existing knowledge. From the highest officials in criminal justice all the way to the low man or woman on the totem pole, research is a key part of the occupation. Educating oneself with the research process can mean the difference in a job done efficiently and a sloppy version of justice. Research will always