Research Proposal

Running Head: RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 0

Topic (Assessing the effectiveness of incarceration in reducing crime)

Assignment 4 is to help you work on some of the later pieces of your research proposal. For this assignment, you are to address the following questions in 2-3 double-spaced pages with 1" margins (all sides) and 12 point font. Your heading should be no longer than one line, and should include the following: name, course, and assignment #. Please number each response, and submit your assignment in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Make sure that you follow the directions carefully.

1. Discuss the sampling design that you will use to test your research question(s) and hypotheses. Define the population, identify the sampling frame(s), and specify the elements and any other units at different stages. Indicate the exact procedure for selecting people to be included in the sample.

2.  Write 10 questions for a one-page questionnaire/survey that concerns your proposed research question. Your questions should operationalize at least three of your variables on which you have focused, including at least one independent variable and one dependent variable. Please note that you may have multiple questions to measure some variables. Make all of your questions close-ended, unless you plan on conducting focus groups or one-on-one intense interviews (see qualitative research methods).

Research Methods in Criminal Justice

Name

Institution Affiliation

Course

Tutor

Date

Research question

Do incarceration reduce crime rates?

Hypothesis

High incarceration rates lead to an increase in crime rates

Alternative rehabilitation strategies have a better outcome at reducing crime than incarceration

Sampling Design

The sampling design to be used is stratified sampling. Here, the population will be divided into different groups based on employment rate, age, demographics, number of arrests, rate of drug abuse, and geographic variation. Then, within each group, a simple random sample will be selected. The population will be made up of men and women and at least a hundred and fifty will be selected to take part in the study. The study expects that there will be a high representation of men in the study since men have been reported to committing more crimes than women. Also, in the criminal justice they are the majority and therefore the assumption is that men are also over-presented among ex-convicts.

The selection of the population will be taken on the basis of whether the participants are employed, they have a criminal record, the number of arrests and their locality. The individuals who have no criminal record and yet they are on drugs or live in regions where there are high crime rates will be excluded. However, an individual who lives in a region that is known for having high crime rates, he/she is on drugs, has a criminal record and is not employed will be included. The study will exclude any participant who lacks a criminal record even when he or she qualifies in all the other elements.

The sampling approach will be useful in analyzing the relationship that exists between incarceration and crime. Since some studies have mentioned that other than incarceration there are other factors that affect crime rates such as general economic trends, employment rates, age, demographics, rate of drug abuse and geographic variation the study will consider them. However, an emphasis will be given on choosing participants that have had a criminal record without considering what got them to jail in the first place. The aim of the paper is entirely on understanding whether the people that were incarcerated have adopted healthy and acceptable ways of living that cannot lead them to jail again.

Questionnaire

The independent variables in the study includes, age, rate of arrest, rate of imprisonment, average sentence length, income, and unemployment. The dependent variables includes; rate of poverty and crime rates. To obtain a favorable sample, the questions asked will be close ended. That is, the questions will involves a simple answer of yes or a brief exact answer. The reason for using the close ended questionnaire is because it is easier and quicker for respondents to answer, the answers are easier to compare, and the answers are also easy to statistically analyze. Below is the question that will be used to operationalize the variables.

1. Have you ever been imprisoned/ do you have a criminal record?

2. If answer to the first question is YES, how old were you when you were arrested?

3. How long was your prison sentence?

4. How many times have you been arrested?

5. Are you employed? / do you have a stable source of income?

6. In your opinion, did the prison sentence help you in avoiding future imprisonment?

7. Do you engage in drugs or any other activity that involves breaking the law?

8. How much do you earn annually?

9. Would you classify yourself as a low, middle or high income earner?

10. Do you see yourself getting arrested in the near future?