Research Design Paper

CJA/345

Introduction

The purpose of any research design lies in ensuring the evidence from that research facilitates effective address of the research problem. It also helps in logical explanation of the research problem to eliminate ambiguities. Before embarking on any research, it is critical to have a design focusing on the essential factors required. The initial factor is establishing the primary objectives of the research in order to identify the most suitable methodology, approach, measurement methods, the timeline, the analysis method as well as other issues such as ethical and confidentiality considerations. When these are properly lined up, the research will be seamless and achieve the set objectives.

Explanation of Internal and External Variable-Related Validity Factors

Validity factors touch on the soundness of a research and apply to the design as well as research methods. Factors touching on validity jeopardize the integrity of a research and consist of internal as well as external factors. Internal validity is affected factors that cannot be positively answered unless there is enough control over the design. As a result, internal l validity is essentially a control problem and touches on the factors that are found in any research.

On the other hand, external validity dwells on the generalizability of the findings while the main question remains the groups, variables and metric variables and to what extent they can be generalized. The various types of external validity include population and ecological external validities (Calero, Piattini andGenero, 2001).

Validity remains a fundamental cornerstone of any research, and the factors affect it include:

Efficacy and effectiveness: in research that includes medical aspects rely on efficacy where internal validity are utilized in the evaluation of the external validity of such claims.

Subjects selected: the subjects selected relies on biases that can result in selecting comparison groups. The size of the sample, randomization and other factors may affect the study.

History and measuring instruments: these are detailed events and conditions that occur in between quantifications. Also, the changes in metrics or observes can result in changes that alter the objectives of the research.

Strengths and Limitations of Experimental Research Designs

Experimental designs are constantly contrived situations that do not reflect factors that occur in the real world. On the other hand, experimental research remains vital in internal validity though this happens at the expense of the external validity.

Experimental research is the number of subjects of participants that are allocated to various conditions in any experiment. As a result, it focuses on the relationships between variables and has various advantages such as

On the other hand, there are limitations or disadvantages attached to experimental research that include:

• Variable control: Helps in the control of independent variables in experiments with the aim of removing unwanted or extraneous variables. Control over these unwanted variables proves higher than any other research methods.
• Enhanced results: with the control set up by the researcher under strict conditions, it is possible to attain better results. There is also the aspect of repeating experiments as well as rechecking results to perfect results. When this is done, the researcher gains confident considering the level of mastery gained with repeated experiments.
• Better insight: With the level of experiments induced in research, the researchers are better placed to gain more insight regarding topics of research on specific topics under research. In addition, they are better positioned to determine the best metrics for the best results while at the same time providing increased transferability.

Contemporary Examples of Experimental Research Conducted Within the Criminal Justice Field

• Artificial situations: these are situations created by the creation of irrelevant variables that emanate from increased control (Walker, 2005).
• Human error: irrespective of the need to achieve high levels of efficiency, some situations arise out of human error. These factors are constant with all researchers and arise out of fatigue, measurement errors and other common human factors.
• Personal biases: every researcher is bound to have a varied opinion regarding different aspects of any research. These biases result in a degree of error and give adverse results or deviate from the objectives of the research.

Research remains an important element in criminal justice as part of its growth. It is also essential for the growth of students in the development of their critical thinking as well as analytical skills. Criminal justice research is also vital in current as well as future practice because it acts as reference required in the administration of justice. Examples of experimental research in criminal justice include:

Realignment has been proved to reduce recidivism where rehabilitative and reentry services are provided. As seen in the California’s criminal justice experiment, the population in prisons had gone overboard calling for research into the causes. The need for realignment was experimented where the department of corrections and rehabilitation was ordered to reduce on population. As a result of the realignment, the prison populations gradually reduced and it was proven that realignment could reduce recidivism. It was also proven that realignment did not result in increased violent crimes because the realignment required close supervision of the correction systems thereby keeping track of crime (Wheeling, 2016).

• Realignment

The criminal justice system requires that the courts work in conjunction with the police to ensure that the administration of justice remains seamless. It is based on this notion that the need for evidence-based policing matrix works to identify what works in policing. To get to conclusions, researchers experimented through the development of generalizations to arrive at what proves effective in policing strategies. It also focused on translation of the evaluations by police into a usable form to effectively change tactics, training, strategies as well as accountability stems (Lum, Koper andTelep, 2011). As a result, a matrix is a tool that requires constant updating as well as translation of research to the practice of crime reduction.

• Evidence-Based Policing Matrix

Conclusion

Research is a crucial factors all aspects of life because it helps in enhancing various practices. Despite the nature of the research, it is important that it should be well designed if the objectives set have to be achieved. The need to experiment in different fields also proves essential in the administration of justice. There are various researches as well as experiments conducted and still under investigation to enhance the criminal justice system. The above indicates the need for continued research to ensure that justice is seen to be fairly administered and not denied. Despite the need for the research, the underlying rule is that the design face determines the success of any research.

References

Calero, C., Piattini, M., &Genero, M. (2001). Empirical validation of referential integrity

metrics. Information and Software Technology, 43(15), 949-957.

Walker, W. (2005). The strengths and weaknesses of research designs involving quantitative

measures. Journal of research in nursing, 10(5), 571-582.

Lum, C., Koper, C. S., &Telep, C. W. (2011). The evidence-based policing matrix. Journal of

Experimental Criminology, 7(1), 3-26.

Wheeling, K. (2016).California’s Criminal Justice Experiment. Retrieved from

https://psmag.com/california-s-criminal-justice-experiment-15b07de95fed#.g4xc8mew1https://psmag.com/california-s-criminal-justice-experiment-15b07de95fed#.g4xc8mew1