Method in Context (MIC)

Lesson 1 – Crime and deviance the research contextOverview of research methodsExamine the different issues raised by researching crime and deviance

Articulate

Explain as many of the terms from the envelope in 1 minute

Double score – 1 point for the person who guesses the term & 1 for the person explaining

Primary data

Quantitative data

Secondary data

Qualitative data

Time & money

Requirements of funding bodies

Personal skills

Subject matter

Research opportunity

Informed consent

Confidentiality & privacy

Harmful effects

Vulnerable groups

Covert research

Validity

Reliability

Representativeness

Methodological perspective(positivist/interpretivist)

Theoretical perspective(Action/Structural)

Triangulation

Categorise

In your groups organise the terms into categories of your choice

No right or wrong – but you need to be able to explain why and how you have grouped the terms

Compare your categories to the ones on the handout

Researching crime & deviance There a many different characteristics of

crime & deviance each of which presents particular problems & opportunities for the sociologist

Domestic & other violent crimes White-collar & corporate crime Young offenders Victims of crime The criminal justice system Societal reaction to crime & deviance Suicide

In pairs brain storm

the problems a sociologist may face

when researching

each of these areas

Researching domestic violence What problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Researching violent crimes What problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Researching corporate crime What problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Researching young offenders What problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Researching victims of crimeWhat problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Does everyone who experiences a crime report it?

Researching criminal justiceThe police Why might police officers be a

difficult group for sociologist to study?

The courts and legal professionPrisons

Researching societal reaction What problems may a sociologist

encounter when....

Researching suicide

What problems may a sociologist encounter when....

Evidence the main themes There are 7 main themes involved

researching all the different areas of crime & deviance

Use the texts on each of the areas to complete your grid with as many examples as you can for each area

Must – 2 example of each Should – 3 example of each Could – 4 examples of each theme

...for example

Access to respondents Prisoners – closed & controlled social

settingSuicide – absence of main actor

Pub quiz

Answer the following questions in your teams

Homework

Back ground reading – Feminism (Friday)Realist theories (Next Thursday)

Anyone who has not sat their times essays on Marxist & labelling theories of crime and deviance MUST DO SO BEFORE FRIDAY