Running head: RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
Research Topic: Research on the Effects of Domestic Violence on the Education of Children
Research Design: Case Study
Capella University
Student’s Name Dashawn Holmes
Instructor’s Name Stephen Rice
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RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
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Case Study Research Design
In the case study research design, the researcher investigates a given phenomenon in the context
of a real life. The boundaries within which the scope of this case study may be conducted remain
undefined, thus leaving the researcher to source the information from different sources (Marshall
& Rossman, 2014). Through the application of the case study in research, a variety of
information on the research question is obtained, which allows the researcher to explore the
subject exhaustively.
The type of case study that will be applied in the research is the collective case study. This has
been chosen over the instrumental case study and the intrinsic case study, due to its ability to
allow comparing and analyzing information by different authors. This ability makes it immune to
the biases that may be evident in the case of a single case analysis.
In conducting the research, the researcher will gather reports that have been recorded by other
researchers these will work towards giving the research a sense of direction. Most of these
research documentations will be sourced from the university library, as well as the online
research sites. Through this, the researcher will be able to cover a vast scope of the area under
study (Coiro et.al, 2014).
The case study will also involve carrying out specific field studies in several groups of people
including women, and children in schools. This will work towards providing the most current
and first-hand data about the case in question. It will also act as a complement to the information
obtained from the library and online research documentation analysis.
After gathering all the data from the various sources, the researcher will analyze the information
by looking at the correlations and variable sets of information provided in the research. The
RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
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diversity of the sources will ensure that the researcher comes up with an exhaustive analysis of
the information in question. The analysis of the data will be done by using tables, graphs, and pie
charts.
After the analysis, the researcher will do a report on the findings that have been obtained from
the study. The results will involve either a confirmation or refute the hypothesis, which the
researcher should come up with before starting the research.
Justification of the Design over the Others
The case study research design has been considered the most appropriate in conducting this
research for a variety of reasons. Although the other designs could have served the purpose, the
case study research designs seem to fit in this case because of its ability to offer an in-depth
study of the case in question (Marshall & Rossman, 2014). This is grounded on its ability to
gather information from various sources for analysis, making it immune from any forms of bias.
Also, the case study is based specifically on a given group of individuals. This specificity allows
the researcher to get more specific information on the case in question.
In addition to that, unlike the other research methodologies, the researcher is in a better position
to employ most of the research techniques either directly or indirectly in the case study design
(Yin, 2012). The various research techniques that become evident in the case study design
include the ability to critically analyze reports, the capacity to recognize the contribution of other
researchers and scholars in the topic under study, as well as the ability conduct a field study,
aimed at backing up the evidence obtained from the recorded research sources.
Moreover, the case study research enables the researcher to establish a long term relationship
with the participants of the study. This is majorly because; the researcher targets only a specific
RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
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group of people and connects with them through the research question (Coiro et.al, 2014). Due
to the closeness to the participants, a long-term relationship can be created, which can prove to
be of great importance to the researcher in the case of future research. The relationship so created
enables the participants to eliminate any biases that they may have in responding to the
questions.
Lastly, the researcher is also able to cover a research question affecting a wide geographical area
faster by using case study (Bassey, 2003). This is mainly because; through analyzing the reports
on studies that have been conducted in different parts of the world, the researcher can be able to
draw a conclusion based on the various findings. This makes the case study design economical
on time and resources that could have been used in conducting the research, in the case of other
methods, on a wide geographical area.
Proposed Data Collection Strategy
In collecting data on the question, the researcher will gather various reports on research done
about the topic from the library, and online research websites. Before using the information from
the reports, the researcher will seek permission to use it from the publisher of the reports. This
will give them the opportunity to legally have access to the information. The researcher will also
need to seek permission from the librarian and the online research site manager to avoid any
technical inconveniences that may come up due to lack of cooperation with the authorities (Yin,
2012).
In addition to that, the researcher will also collect data through field study. By carrying out a
field study on a specific population about the issue in question, the researcher will be in a better
position to acquire first-hand data, which can be compared to the data obtained through the
RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
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analysis of the other researcher’s works (Coiro et.al, 2014). However, to be allowed to conduct
the field study, the researcher should seek permission from the management of the schools that
the research is targeted to be conducted. This will ensure that the research does not interfere
with the school curriculum.
The ethical issues that need to be considered in this research include the assured protection of the
confidentiality of the people participates in the research. The researcher should ensure that the
participants remain anonymous (Yin, 2012). By doing this, the researcher is more assured to get
high-quality feedback, since people are inclined to giving honest information when no one
knows them. Also, the fact that this is research involving children makes it very crucial for the
researcher to prepare research questions that do not make the children have a low opinion of
themselves.
RESEARCH DESIGN: CASE STUDY
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References
Bassey, M. (2003). Case study research. Educational research in practice, 111-123.
Coiro, J., Knobel, M., Lankshear, C., & Leu, D. J. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of research on new
literacies. Routledge.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2014). Designing qualitative research. Sage publications.
Yin, R. K. (2012). Case study methods.
Running Head: CRIMINAL PROFILING
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CRIMINAL PROFILING
Dashawn Holmes
Intro to research Methodology
Stephen Rice
Capella University-PSL5007
Date 11/6/2016
Literature review
CRIMINALPROFILING
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In the early 1990s, crime in general was higher as compared to today. Recently crimes has
reduced by a great number due to emergence of investigation departments which uses criminal
profiling as an instrument to curb these crimes. Nevertheless, it has been found that some crimes
has been very difficult to solve especially those that are often repetitive and serial in nature such
as rape, murder and arson. This type of crimes are frequently appalling and creates a state of
uneasiness within the community. In order to come up with an improved clearance of the
existing methods, criminologists have come up with the specific techniques and theoretical
system to facilitate the identification and apprehension of these type of serial offenders. One of
the most important technique include the use of criminal profiling as a tool to identify most of
these offenders.
Criminal profiling is a process whereby analysis of the evidence collected at a crime scene is
observed and reflected by a criminal investigator. The process aims at identifying and
interpreting the behaviors of a criminal or even his or her actions in order to predict the
personality of that offender. The reason for carrying out criminal profiling is not only
identification of important offenders but also prevent emergency of similar future cases.
Criminal profiling is one of the important topic that helps learners acquire extra knowledge that
helps them deal with life challenges and be able to make wise decisions. Currently the popularity
of the criminal profiling has improved due to attention created by the media and massive
production of the TV stations dealing with the crime shows. According to Snook et al. (2008), he
CRIMINALPROFILING
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said that people believed that criminal characteristics from the crime scenes can be predicted
through criminal profiles. Therefore, the aim of this work is to critically assess the existing
literatures of profiling while considering the related empirical researches.
Currently, Turvey (2002) stated that there are two key points of profiling which are
determined by their goals as well as their main concern. One is the investigative stage that
involves the use of features that have been linked with the offender with the known crime. He
goes on and stated that in the investigative phase there are five main goals. This goals includes
reducing the viable suspect pool thus assisting in prioritizing those remaining to be suspects thus
helping in assisting by linking the potentially related crimes through the identification of the
crime scene indicators as well as the behavior patterns. The other goal include assisting in the
assessment of the potential and intensifying irritant criminal behavior and then to a very serious
or even more violent crimes such as harassment and even stalking. Another goal include
provision of related leads as well as strategies for investigation and lastly help in keeping the
entire investigation on the right pathway.
Furthermore, Hicks & Sales (2006) stated that there are about two stages that are involved in
creating the profile of an unidentified criminal which includes collection of any evidence from
the scene of the crime by the investigative officers and construction behavioral. He also talked of
the behavioral and demographic of the criminal profile as another stage that is used to construct a
CRIMINALPROFILING
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criminal profile based on the evidence available. Unfortunately, Turvey (2002) argued that some
of the demographic characteristics such as race, intelligence, age and sex cannot be part of the
profile as they are typically assessed during the process of investigation and hence they are not
grounded on the physical evidence of the victim. Instead of using the vital information of the
offender, the emphasis should be mainly based on the knowledge of the victim about the crime
scene and the available methods of the evidence.
A number of researches have been conducted to find about the reliability, accuracy and
validity of the profile of a criminal as a tool that helps in assisting the law enforcers to prioritize
search areas of crime. Ratcliffe (2004) says that the most important question in relation to
profiling is whether this method really works and the information that is gathered regarding the
criminal profile is really accurate. Ratcliffe found that particularly some of the information that
is collected through this too somehow provides some of critical information that could be used
for further investigations. He goes on and argues that the tool does not guarantee full evidence
that indeed the suspect could have committed the crime.
Another study that was conducted by snook et al (2008) to investigate whether profiling
practices that involved typology could categorize crime scene and the background of the
offender as organized disorganized dichotomy. Canter, Alison and wentink (2004) conducted
about 40 crimes scenes behaviors to investigate whether the statement was true. They found that
CRIMINALPROFILING
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the analysis of this crimes did not bring out the issue of organized and disorganized behaviors.
Therefore they concluded that the typology cannot be easily used in serial homicides cases.
There was another study that was conducted by Makros and Alison (2002) to investigate
whether it’s true that lawbreakers who displays similar crime scene behaviors have similar socio
demographic and personal characteristics. They investigated the behavior with a sample of a
hundred British foreigner rapist whose behavior on crime scene was categorized in relation to
occurrence of various variables such as use weapon, use of cover up. The results revealed a
different aspects of behavior that rapists who displayed the offending behavior that were similar
had no similarity at all in their socio demographic variables such as occupation, ethnicity as well
as living situation in their history in crime or their age at the time of crime. Although the study
could have experienced limitations such as immense sample and variable of the distinct crime
scene, the result showed that the inference of the findings for the criminal profiling are really
extreme especially when the previous information has been used to create the current
information of the criminal.
Furthermore, snook et al (2008) stated that criminal investigations has continued to rise due
to use of criminal profiling despite limited empirical evidence which is effective in this
procedure. To support his argument, snook et al conducted a 2 part meta-analysis and a narrative
CRIMINALPROFILING
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review of the published criminal profiling literature. On both reviews he found that the criminal
profiling literature rests heavily on commonsense justifications.
Some of the key findings on the proposed solution to the issue of criminal profiling were that
most authors believed that profiling the offender has a number of shortcomings such as it may
lead to discrediting of the criminal profiling as tool for investigation. The validity of the results
of many of the researches that were conducted on criminal profiling while utilizing profilers
remains to be a questionable aspect of ethical consideration. The reason for the profilers to
remain a questionable is because of the capability to see the patterns, relationships and
differences are fundamentally spoiled due to use of a small samples. Criminal profiling as a tool
has been also does not provide a clear and outstanding results an s lack of active profiler’s
participation in this type of studies brings about negative impacts on the final results.
In conclusion, although there have been numerous studies on the field of criminal profiling,
most of the studies have been reduced by the methodological and conceptual underperformance.
Some of the literature have also been able to show that investigation done by the authorities on
criminal profiling has been based on numerous feature, categorization and approaches. This has
in turn have made them hard to find and study especially those that were conducted within the
laboratory setting. Therefore, in order to achieve clear results it’s important to soothe profilers’
CRIMINALPROFILING
secrecy and obtain their full cooperation in order to achieve a reliable, accurate and credible
criminal profile.
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CRIMINALPROFILING
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References
Canter, D. V. (2010). Offender profiling (pp. 236-241). Cambridge University Press.
FINTZY, R. T. (2000). Criminal profiling: an introduction to behavioral evidence
analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(9), 1532-1534.
Hicks, S. J., & Sales, B. D. (2006). Crime Scene Evidence. American Psychological Association.
Macros, A., & Alison, L. J. (2002). Is offender profiling possible? Testing the predicted
homology of crime scene actions and background characteristics in a sample of rapists. Legal
and Criminological Psychology, 7(1), 25-43.
Ratcliffe, J. H. (2004). Crime mapping and the training needs of law enforcement. European
Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 10(1), 65-83.
Snook, B., Cullen, R. M., Bennell, C., Taylor, P. J., & Gendreau, P. (2008). The criminal
profiling illusion what's behind the smoke and mirrors?. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(10),
1257-1276.
Turvey, B. E. (2011). Criminal profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence analysis.
Academic press.
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Dashawn Holmes
Professors Name
Intro to Research Methodology
October 30th 2016
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CRIME PROFILING
Problem statement
Criminal profiling have led to misleading information. In the profiling the results have proven to
be false positive and even false negative.
Research questions
1. What are the reasons which lead to the results being false negative?
2. What are the reasons which lead to false positive results?
3. How can this positive and negative false results be mitigated?
In the study it presents the reasons why criminal profiling have failed in the recent past. With this
topic it presents a unique way in which the future profiling will be much success and also will be
on point as the suspects will be identified and the trends also identified with high precision
(Association, 2016). The other studies have mostly concentered on the ways which can be
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employed in profiling criminals but the ways are still prone to this errors of either being
negatively and positively false. In this research it will be try to solve this often problem and bring
more credibility to the present and available ways of profiling.
In the research am undertaking it is very important in the sense that it practical procedures will
ensure in profiling will give the best result (Brown, 2005). The employment of the research it
will be employed in the taking care in the profiling process to ensure the most common mistakes
in the profiling are done away with since they always bring in the errors which result in the false
outcomes. The research will also be applicable in the redoing the proofing in two more times.
Here the results will be compared and the cases which will be giving very close mean will be
chosen. In this application the most likely a most precise case will be chosen and this will be
made and this will make the process to have a more specific and accurate (Gladwell & WallaceWells, 2015).
The information I gather in this research I will be able to use it to know how to come up with
criminal profiles which have less flaws and are more accurate. In my job skills I will manage to
have a successful career as the profiles I will supervise and generate will largely help in reducing
the level of crimes in the current society (Paine, 1994). Also with the undertaking of the research
I will manage to have breached the gap which have being present in the crime profiling for many
years. With the breach of this gap the society will be safer for our loved ones and everyone to
leave in.
The research will rejuvenate the credibility of profiling and more over give security officers
much reliance to crime profiling. Crime profiling have recorded a history where it have greatly
mislead the security officials and they end up failing in their job of protecting the country
citizens (Times, 2010). With my research coming up with a way of mitigating this past errors it
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will greatly attract the interest of the chief security officers in the field. They will find it
interesting as it will offer them will an alternative and a way of conducting profiling’s which are
more accurate as compared to past crime profiling’s which were false and misleading. They will
also find it very interesting since they will be able to reinstate their trust in the general public and
also the key stakeholders in the security field (Downey, 2013).
References
Gladwell, M., & Wallace-Wells, B. (2015, July 24). Malcolm Gladwell. . Retrieved from
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/11/12/dangerous-minds
Association, A. P. (2016). Psychological sleuths--criminal profiling: The reality behind the myth.
Retrieved October 29, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug04/criminal.aspx
Brown, J. (2005, March ). Retrieved October 29, 2016, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227997825_Psychological_and_Legal_Implications_of
_Occupational_Stress_for_Criminal_Justice_Practitioners
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Times, L. A. (2010, November 22). Criminal profiling vs. Racial profiling. Retrieved October
29, 2016, from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/22/opinion/la-oe-dutta-racial-profiling20101122
Downey, S. A. (2013). Online, you are guilty even after being proven innocent. Retrieved
October 29, 2016, from https://www.abine.com/blog/2011/online-guilty-before-proven-innocent/
Paine, L. S. (1994, March 1). Managing for organizational integrity. Retrieved October 29, 2016,
from Regulation, https://hbr.org/1994/03/managing-for-organizational-integrity
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