Qualitative Inquiry

Arrigo, B., Sellers, B., Copes, H., & Paz, J. (2022). New Qualitative Methods and Critical Research Directions in Crime, Law, and Justice: Editors’ Introduction. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2022.2027484

In the article, Arrigo et al. (2022) discussed various fresh qualitative research paradigms in criminology and criminal justice, including psychological jurisprudence, queer theory, and narrative criminology. The authors highlight how these ways have become prominent in studying crime and justice from critical views while pointing to the decline in the quantitative methods that stem from the datafication and practices of predictive analytics. Altogether, the article can be considered trustworthy as a brief and balanced overview of the tendencies in contemporary research and the methods approved by key theoreticians of the field. This demonstrates how the range of methodologies strengthens insightful investigation of criminal justice issues, supports comprehension of qualitative research approaches, and benefits criminological learning by enriching consideration of the views of the disadvantaged.

Cheah, P. K., Unnithan, P., & Sandela Raran, A. (2019). The Qualitative Report The Qualitative Report Interviewing Criminal Justice Populations without Electronic Interviewing Criminal Justice Populations without Electronic Recording Devices: A Guide Recording Devices: A Guide Phaik Kin Cheah. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3641&context=tqr

The article "Interviewing Criminal Justice Populations without Electronic Recording Devices: A Guide” by Cheah et al. (2019) gives detailed information on how to conduct face-to-face in-depth interviews when using electronic recording devices is prohibited or not applicable. The authors provide checklists of scripted procedures to follow in order to improve the reliability and believability of interview processes, especially when conducted in secure or sensitive contexts. They refer to practical experiences and theoretical models, such as the Total Quality Framework (TQF), which focuses on credibility, analyzability, transparency, and usefulness. This source is informative and trustworthy because of the specific, real-world tips derived from study and practice, remaining consistent with theoretical principles and providing significant assistance regarding interviews conducted within constraints. It also plays an important role in qualitative research with criminal justice by ensuring accuracy of data collection.

Sinfield, G., Goldspink, S., & Wilson, C. (2023). Waiting in the Wings: The Enactment of a Descriptive Phenomenology Study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231207012

Sinfield et al.'s (2023) article, "Waiting in the Wings: The Enactment of a Descriptive Phenomenology Study,” illuminates the meaning of descriptive phenomenology in qualitative research. The authors explain bracketing, reflexivity, and data analysis in terms of the theatre and structure of this methodological method as a stage play. They offer clear and effective suggestions on how phenomenology can be applied and describe how useful it is for collecting participants’ descriptions of their experiences from their first-person perspective. This source can be considered as reliable since it is written by experienced researchers for the specified subject area and published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. It provides a sound methodology and is well-documented, making it much more credible. This source is useful in developing an appreciation for qualitative research in criminal justice since it illustrates how descriptive phenomenology can be used to explain diverse human experiences. Thus, it gives the readers realistic tips on how to work with participants, as well as a clear methodological outlook for scholars interested in a complex understanding of the members’ roles in criminal justice studies.

Kamitz, L. C., & Gannon, T. A. (2023). A Grounded Theory Model of Relationship Decision-Making in Non-Offending Partners of Individuals Accused of Sexual Offending. Sexual Abuse, 107906322311590. https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632231159075

Kamitz and Gannon (2024) offer a grounded theory model of decision-making for individuals in the role of or accused of being involved in a sexual offense by their partners. Their study, which includes interviews with 23 participants, identifies four key phases: Background factors, relationship factors, finding out, and relationship decision-making. This model illustrates the interconnection between affective, behavioral, cognitive, and contextual dynamics determining non-offending partners’ decision to remain with or exit their relationships. This source is credible since it is published in a peer-reviewed journal. The study is also valid because the researcher employed grounded theory for inductive analysis and targeted a few areas that were studied. This source empowers qualitative research in criminal justice because it presents a complex understanding of the relationship context after the offense to guide supportive frameworks for non-offending partners and rehabilitation.

Sandberg, S. (2022). Narrative Analysis in Criminology. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 33(2), 212–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2022.2027479

In the article “Narrative Analysis in Criminology,” Sveinung Sandberg discusses four approaches to narrative analysis, including thematic, structural, performative, and dialogical, with some examples in the field of criminology. As an example of how different forms of narrative bring out different aspects of crime and the offender's character, it uses an interview conducted with a violent offender named Fredrik. The article also details why narrative analysis is important in studying crime through stories told, as well as their structure and contextual meanings. The source is scholarly, written by Sveinung Sandberg, a criminologist, and published in a peer-reviewed journal. It offers an overview of the techniques used in narrative analysis and examples of their applicability. Thus, this article contributes to the development of a qualitative approach in criminological research by explaining how narrative analysis can reveal latent meanings in offenders’ accounts. It proves how the crime stories’ analysis in terms of the narratives at work helps to explore more layers of criminality and criminal subjectivity, consequently contributing to the knowledge of crime that goes beyond numbers.

Mellinger, H., Lowrey-Kinberg, B., & Barak, M. P. (2023). Methodological and Practical Considerations for Cross-Cultural Focus Groups on Sensitive Topics within Criminal Justice and Criminology. Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice & Criminology. https://doi.org/10.21428/88de04a1.9b6827ff

Cross-cultural focus groups are beneficial in eliciting the views of marginalized groups regarding sensitive issues, but they come with specific difficulties that should be considered when conducting research. This article by Mellinger et al. (2023) explores three key areas: being able to articulate how focus group homogeneity is defined, how intersectionality can be incorporated while still maintaining necessary homogeneity, and how there can be practical implementation hurdles that need to be addressed when carrying out focus groups. The authors have made these points based on their work with Latino participants in South Florida; they assert that, although focus groups can provide fruitful information, particularly in collectivistic cultures, it is equally important to address methodological and practical concerns regarding this research technique. The article contributes to the existing knowledge about qualitative research in criminal justice by discussing the issues and concerns related to conducting focus groups across cultures on a touchy subject like police work and immigration. It offers very useful tips on achieving high methodological quality while maintaining the representativeness and diversity of participants, which is always essential when researching minority populations’ stigmatized experiences.

Wesely, J. K., Brown, E. R., & Phills, C. E. (2020). Words matter: A qualitative content analysis of campus crime alerts and considerations for best practices. Journal of American College Health, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1719114

The article "Words Matter: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Campus Crime Alerts and Considerations for Best Practices" by Wesley et al. (2020) focuses on the role of language in constructing campus crime and presenting crime alerts. The authors examine several alerts and share how certain vocabularies pose certain consequences on framing crime in the community in terms of stereotype or fear construction. This source is credible since it is published in a peer-reviewed journal and is authored by esteemed scholars. It enhances the efforts to understand qualitative research in criminal justice because it shows how qualitative content analysis uncovers the subliminal messages within institutional communication and highlights the need for raising the critical evaluation of language in crime-related domains. Thus, this article is useful in evaluating how qualitative research can be used to define the state of practice of public safety communication.

Bacon, M., Loftus, B., & Rowe, M. (2020). Ethnography and the Evocative World of Policing (Part I). Policing and Society, 30(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2019.1701453

The authors discuss insights given about policing and police culture through ethnographic methods. This article provides a clear idea about how such engagements in the field and close observation have helped shed light on the dynamics of police work in comprehending the nature and kind of relations police have with society. It is possible to refer to the source both as valid and authoritative because the authors are scholars, the focus is on criminology and criminal justice, and the publication is in a peer-reviewed academic journal. This paper has employed extensive fieldwork and research to capture all angles well. This article enriches the understanding of qualitative methods in criminal justice as it demonstrates how ethnography can reveal details of policemen’s work, which can be valuable for discussions about the future of policing and policemen’s responsibilities.

Doll, A., & Walby, K. (2019). Institutional Ethnography as a Method of Inquiry for Criminal Justice and Socio-Legal Studies. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 8(1), 147–160. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.v8i1.1051

In the given article, Doll and Walby elucidate the guidelines and fundamentals of institutional ethnography (IE) as a method for criminal justice and socio-legal studies. It demonstrates how IE enables the precise analysis of organizational processes and their consequences for people and society. The authors explain how IE concerns people’s activities within institutions, how such institutions structure these activities, and how IE can reveal formal and informal power relations within socio-legal phenomena. This source is rather trustworthy, primarily based on the authors' backgrounds and the specifics of their field – socio-legal studies. This gives the article credibility and is based on the work done by Agnieszka Doll and Kevin Walby; both individuals have done immense work in the field. This is enhanced by the fact that the publication was done in a scholarly journal, which increases the credibility of the research. Thus, the source enriches the understanding of qualitative research in criminal justice as it demonstrates the ability of IE to study institutional processes and impacts upon people. It raises concerns about the value of examining the actual experience within the confines of institutions while at the same time enriching readers’ understanding of the nature of legal and criminal justice institutions and their impact on the relevant stakeholders.

Denault, V., & Talwar, V. (2023). From criminal interrogations to investigative interviews: a bibliometric study. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175856

The article provides a comprehensive bibliometric review of the literature on criminal interrogations and investigative interviews. It sketches out the trajectory of this study area and sheds light on the main developments, key authors, and significant works. The article documents shifts in the focus from traditional interrogation techniques to investigative interviews, which underscore the importance of psychological underpinnings in enhancing the validity of the process and avoiding the risk of false confessions. The research findings are reliable and credible since prominent practitioners wrote the article in the subject area. The findings can also be trusted since the article was published in a peer-reviewed journal. As a source, this is useful because it provides insight into the historical development of interview and interrogation strategies in criminal justice and reveals aspects of qualitative methodology. When it is done systematically, it enables one to place current methodologies into perspective, given that it shows how the different research contributions have progressed and what they have achieved, especially in shedding light on the way investigators ought to approach their work.