qualitative research design

This study will have a qualitative research design in its nature (Creswell, 2013). Understanding how to lower recidivism among juveniles, which is the main goal of this dissertation, is congruent with a qualitative design. With the use of a qualitative design, opinions, attitudes, and behaviors of sample populations from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia, will be elicited.

In order to offer a more comprehensive picture of the recidivism problem, a qualitative design was chosen because it will enable the collection of a large amount of data at a low cost (Marshall & Rossman, 2014). The method is logical since it entails soliciting opinions, attitudes, and behaviors and personal responses of the offenders themselves taken from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia.

A qualitative design was chosen as it will help gather a lot of information as at a minimum cost so as to present a more complete view of the problem of recidivism (Marshall & Rossman, 2014). The method is logical since it entails soliciting opinions, attitudes, and behaviors and personal responses of the offenders themselves taken from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia.

The research questions are consistent with the qualitative study as they are structured in such a way that they help in understanding the different perspectives of juveniles currently in rehabilitation programs as well as the opinions of judges and other officers on rehabilitation programs (Wright & Bouffard, 2016).

The study utilizes primary data collected from sample populations from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia. The data will also be qualitative in nature.

The study will uses scheduled interviews with probation officers and judges handling juvenile cases as the method of data collection (Robinson, 2014). The study will use surveys to collect first-hand information from Juveniles within rehabilitation centers. The research will also administer questionnaires to gather data on whether juveniles understand the psychodynamic theory. Data collection shall also involve the observation of the behavioral differences by comparing youths who have attended rehabilitation programs and those who have not.

Confidentiality issues may arise due to the use of live participants produces some confidentiality. Throughout the study, there is a possibility that the interviewers will be biased when conducting the interviews. The tendency to be biased may arise because some interviewers have a negative impression towards delinquent juveniles.

To ensure there is no breach of confidentiality, the researchers will obtain the consent of the participant before involvement in the survey. Privacy shall be maintained throughout the study. Both the researchers and the participants shall sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prior to conducting and involvement in the study. Disclosure of confidential information will be implemented, unless by a constitutionally legal enforcement by the judiciary to reveal such data (Quinn, 2015). The professionals will be trained before they commence the study on the ethics of practice. Also, during the survey, the questions and responses should only be limited to the topic of the study (Johnson, 2014). The research assistants and other officials involved in the survey will have appreciable level of skill and experience to reduce the risks of negative effects of the study on the participants’ or stakeholders’ health (Bryman, 2015).

The data obtained shall be analyzed using qualitative approaches (Miles, et al. 2013) The data shall be analyzed following transcription. Atlas TI, a qualitative analysis program, will be implemented to consider the data more closely. A basic thematic analysis will be conducted. This will involve the transcribing and reading of participant responses and identifying repeated themes in the content, tone and associations communicated. The themes expressed will be summated and investigated further alongside basic literature for full understanding. Where discrepancies between the themes and the literature occur, these will be further explored perhaps through second interviews or follow up questions.

References

Bryman, A (2015). Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University press.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.

Johnson, M. B. (2014). Conducting research with correctional populations: Do researchers and IRB members know the federal regulations? Research ethics, 10(1), 6-16.

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2014). Designing qualitative research. Sage publications.

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2013). Qualitative data analysis. Sage.

Quinn, C. (2015). General considerations for research with vulnerable populations: ten lessons for success. Health & Justice, 3(1), 1.

Robinson, O. C. (2014). Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 11(1), 25-41.

Wright, K. A. & Bouffard, L. A. (2016). Capturing crime: The qualitative analysis of individual cases for advancing criminological knowledge. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 60(2), 123-145.