Wk 3 Signature Assignment Survey Research and Data PDF

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Running head: SURVEY RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION

Survey research and data collection Anait Asatryan CJA/345

Research data tables, question, and hypothesis Research data tables are obliging when introduce data. The data on the tables are in a quite simple form. The research data provided details of victims of arrest-related and

SURVEY RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION

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circumstances under which he/she died[ CITATION Ban152 \l 1033 ]. The research data tables provides details such as name of the deceased, date and time of death, events that caused death, the law enforcement agency involved etc. Between 2009 and 2011, the ARD program captured at least 49 percent of all arrest-related deaths in America. The lower bound of the program was 36 percent[ CITATION Ban152 \l 1033 ]. The research question for week 1 was “how are arrestrelated deaths (ARDs) identified and classified?” The research question tries to evaluate how Bureaus of Justice Statistics (BJS) identify and classify ARDs. The hypothesis developed is that the coverage of arrest-related deaths does not result in a census of all cases[ CITATION Bac161 \l 1033 ]. There are however some promising improvements over time in the approaches used by these bodies to identify and report arrest-related deaths to the BJS ARD program captured at least 49 percent of all arrest-related deaths in America. The lower bound of the program was 36 percent. Survey research Survey research is a quantitative research method which is used to collect data from a set of respondents. It is a process of research used by researchers where they send surveys to respondents. The collected data is then analyzed statistically and meaningful research conclusions drawn[ CITATION Hag182 \l 1033 ]. There are different types of surveys used to collect information for research in the criminal justice system. These includes telephone surveys, mail surveys, computer-based surveys, in-person surveys and focus group surveys. Mail or online survey research is the most popular and commonly used survey research method today. Online or email survey research uses extremely minimal costs and responses collected are highly accurate. Mail surveys covers a broad geographical region at low costs and little effort. Phone survey research are also common and useful in gathering data from an

SURVEY RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION extensive section of the target population[ CITATION Hag182 \l 1033 ]. The costs of phone surveys is a bit higher than other methods. Phone surveys also require more time. In-person survey research are also known as face-to-face surveys. Researchers use in-person surveys in situations with complicated problems to solve. The response rate for face-to-face surveys is the highest. The survey method can be expensive. Computer-based surveys are also used by researchers to collect data. These surveys have the benefit of removing bias from surveys when collecting standardized responses. They also assure reduced error and anonymity[ CITATION Max151 \l 1033 ]. Focus group surveys emphasize on demographically diverse groups of individuals that the research studies wants to study. Focus group surveys are appropriate for continuous audience response technology (CART). This technology enables researchers to register their reaction using hand-held keypad to different stimuli. The benefit of focus group survey research is that it covers a broad variety of participants to reflect a larger population. Sampling is an essential part of research process used to describe the characteristics of the larger population. It is practically impossible to survey each and every person in the larger population. A small group of people, called the sample, is targeted to provide response and feedback about a certain issue[ CITATION Bac161 \l 1033 ]. Validity and reliability can be used in criminal justice research through self-report surveys. A survey can be conducted to test the reliability of a survey group after a specified timeframe. While the reliability of obtaining same results may not be 100%, it should close. The validity in surveys depends on whether respondents are telling the truth about the issue or not[ CITATION Hag182 \l 1033 ]. Some people may not be able to recall or recollect the situations to appropriately measure the validity of such surveys. Data collection

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SURVEY RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION To ensure that data collection methods are reliable and valid, some steps need to be followed. Data collection is essential in research as it provides the correct answers to questions when done using accurate methods[ CITATION Bac161 \l 1033 ]. One method of collecting data is direct observation. Data collection methods such as participant observation and case studies are essential part of data collection through surveys and experiments[ CITATION Max151 \l 1033 ]. Various subjects can be researched using the general research process or participant observation. The data collection survey method for arrest-related deaths is electronic or automated survey of Google Alerts. These data collection method enables BJS to identify potentially eligible cases as well as follow ups with manual confirmation of all arrest-related deaths with individual medical examiners and police departments. Pros and cons of the electronic or automated survey of Google Alerts The electronic or automated survey of Google Alerts have a number of benefits. First, data collection is easier. The internet is a virtual world connecting all types of people around the universe. As a result, a survey that requires more respondent can be performed faster using this method. Another benefit is automation of data input and handling[ CITATION Ban152 \l 1033 ]. With electronic or automated surveys, respondents can answer the survey questions by inputting their responses via the internet. The input will be stored automatically in the survey database. This provides easier handling of fata and reduced possibility of errors. Another benefit is minimal costs. When using traditional survey methods, you must spend more money to achieve optimal outcomes[ CITATION Hag182 \l 1033 ]. Conducting electronic or automated surveys facilitates fast and low-cost data collection from the target. These surveys are more affordable.

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Electronic or automated survey of Google Alerts also have some disadvantages. First is the absence of interviewer. This data collection survey method is appropriate for asking openended questions as there is no interviewer to explore the feedback. The second disadvantage is inability to reach the challenging population[ CITATION Max151 \l 1033 ]. This method cannot collect data from respondents without internet access. Lastly, survey fraud greatly affect electronic or automated surveys. Conclusion There are a wide range of survey methods that researchers can use to collect data for their research topics. These includes face-to-face surveys, telephone surveys, mail surveys, computerbased surveys and focus group surveys. The researcher choose the method that suits his/her needs or topic. The method used to collect data about arrest-related deaths (ARDs) is electronic or automated survey of Google Alerts and a combination of traditional methods such as telephone and in-person surveys. The methods helps the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to obtain accurate data about these deaths and circumstances under which they occur.

References

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Bachman, R. D., & Paternoster, R. (2016). Statistics for criminology and criminal justice. Sage Publications. Banks, D., & Planty, M. (2015). Assessment of coverage in the Arrest-Related Deaths program. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Hagen, F. (2018). Research methods in criminal justice and criminology (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Maxfield, M. G. (2015). Basics of research methods for criminal justice and criminology. Cengage Learning....