Survey research methods in criminal justice and criminology

Criminal Justice Research

Overview- The authors of a research study examined 715 high school students in a large suburban area. They wished to define the relationship between a preference for heavy metal music and delinquency; controlling for parental and school related variables. The results showed that there was a statistically viable relationship when parental control was low; but no support between music preference and delinquency otherwise. In fact, they found it odd that students with both a preference for heavy metal music and high grades reported a higher degree of self-reported delinquency, almost leading to the view of a self-view of rebellion rather than actual delinquent behavior (Singer, et al., 1993).

Research Issue: Is Music preference linked to juvenile delinquency?

Rationale: Heavy Metal is not just a musical preference, but a cultural and life-style paradigm. Fans dress different, display different symbols, and typically emulate the behavior of some of the HM performers (violence, dramatize bizarre, sadistic behaviors, etc.). During concerts, similar behaviors are often noticed: fighting, drug use, hazing, or other behaviors. The authors hypothesized that there was a direct relationship between those high school students with HM preferences and lower grades, lack of social inclusion, low parental control, low self-esteem, and actual delinquency (Singer, pp. 111-12). Each generation of youth seems to have its desired "rebellious" music side that adults find objectionable. As the music and culture evolves, though, the "delinquent" music of one generation becomes passe' for the next -- for example, the debut of The Beatles in the United States in February 1964 was considered by some to be the end of civilization (The Beatles' first Ed Sullivan Show, 2013).

Research Method- In the Spring of 1987 data was collected from 705 high school youth. The setting was a "typical" suburban high school community, and 95% of the respondents were White. The 705 represented approximately 50% of those originally targeted and who completed the survey. Demographically, the researchers noted that this population was indicative of the particular suburban area; the distribution was within 2% of grade and age and 1% of gender for the community. School performance was measured using self-reported marks (A=5, F=0) and delinquent associations were measured by a response to the statement "My friends rarely get into trouble" (5= Agree, 1= Disagree). Delinquency was measured by asking the youth if during the past year they had committed any offense: theft, damage or maiming of property, or acted violent to someone else (Singer).

Types of Questions and Changes- Open-ended questions solicit information more than a yes or no or maybe; they ask for response and are broader. Closed-ended questions are more quantitative and have less interpretation. The question of whether the students associated with friends who "got into trouble" is open-ended and subjective, since there was no cogent definition of what constituted trouble. The questions about delinquency were more closed-end, requiring a yes or no to a specific set of events (theft, violence, etc.). The more specific the question, the more intrinsic validity answers will have, since they are less interpretive and subjective (Richardson, 2009).

Research Validity- Content validity refers to the manner in which a measure represents all facets of a given social situation. There is some subjectivity in this, but may be handled by accounting for different variables and their use within the research project. Criterion validity measures the manner in which one variable set predicts and outcome based on other variables (e.g. how can a test score predict future behavior)? Construct validity shows how observation inferences and/or measurement tools represent or measure the issue under investigation (does the measure behave in a predictable fashion)? (McBurney and White, 2010). In the case of this study, the results may be valid for that particularly community (demographics), but not very exportable to other populations with a larger diverse student body or population. Further, the validity is skewed because HM music is generalized into a single "type" and culture as opposed to a variety of themes, songs, words and messages.