qualitative research methodology

This study will be conducted using a qualitative research technique (Creswell, 2013). To comprehend the problem of juvenile recidivism, a social issue that generates data in words rather than figures, a qualitative study design is applied. The approach will aid in understanding both the experiences of juvenile offenders and those of judges and probation staff.

Due to the approaches used, a qualitative approach is appropriate because it does not result in numerical data (Marshall & Rossman, 2014). The methodology makes sense because it involves asking sample groups from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia, about their attitudes, habits, and opinions. The research questions are consistent with the qualitative study as 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 dissertation takes sample populations from Dougherty, Tift, and Moultrie, Georgia. The research shall utilize primary data i.e. data obtained by the researcher from the field which is first hand and not distorted by time. The data will also be qualitative in nature since it shall deal with characteristics including the opinions and attitudes of the target population (Onwuegbuzie & Leech, 2007).

Simple random sampling is applicable since our study involves a homogenous population of delinquent youths (Robinson, 2014). The study will use the survey as its primary data collection method. The study will help collect a lot of data from the respondents at a reasonable cost. The study method will apply a variety of data collection tools including, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and group discussions. Questionnaires with a uniform set of questions shall be sent to probation officers either by official mail or drop off. Personal interviews will involve face to face interactions between the delinquent teens and the interviewers (Holbrook, et al.2003). During the interviews, interviewers will ask questions systematically, and there shall be no deviations from the subject schedule. Also, the research will use focus group discussions to collect in-depth data on various themes e.g. gather data on whether juveniles understand the psychodynamic theory.

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. The questionnaires may not give reliable facts since the Hawthorne effect may occur where the respondents tend to alter their behavior because they know they are being observed (Macefield, 2007). Also, some respondents may not fill the questionnaires. Finally, the study will utilize data from several sources which might be ingrained with some errors and this may affect the findings of the research.

The survey will prevent interviewer bias by having all the interviewers trained before the study commence. To determine the reliability of the questionnaires the research will perform a pilot study which will interview a few people who are not part of the original sample. Also, we shall make a follow up to remind those who do not respond to the questionnaires. The research will increase the sample size so as to minimize the sampling error or keep it within a tolerable limit.

The dissertation will apply various analytical approaches to analyze the qualitative data (Miles, et al. 2013). The data obtained by administering questionnaire shall be analyzed using deductive coding for the close-ended questions. The data collected through surveys shall be analyzed using bar charts and graphs. The data gathered through interviews will be summarized in frequency tables to bring out reasonable statistics. From the frequency tables, we shall calculate measures of central tendency including the average recidivism rate and the median reoffending rate within a given period in the three areas.

References

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

Holbrook, A. L., Green, M. C., & Krosnick, J. A. (2003). Telephone versus face-to-face interviewing of national probability samples with long questionnaires: Comparisons of respondent satisficing and social desirability response bias. Public opinion quarterly, 67(1), 79-125.

Macefield, R. (2007). Usability studies and the Hawthorne Effect. Journal of Usability Studies, 2(3), 145-154.

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

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

Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2007). Sampling designs in qualitative research: Making the sampling process more public. The qualitative report, 12(2), 238-254.

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.