METHODOLOGY AND STRATEGY OF THE RESEARCH (FROM ISSUES AND METHODOLOGY, 1976, BY YVES BRILLON ET AL - SEE NCJ-55366)

• NCJ Number: 55968
• Author(s): R TOUNISSOUX
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 109 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: French
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THE SPECIFIC METHODS AND STRATEGIES TO BE USED IN THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT OF THE CANADIAN GROUP FOR RESEARCH ON ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE BASIC INSTRUMENT CONSISTS OF A STRUCTURED PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH A 3,300-PERSON REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE CANADIAN POPULATION. THREE SUCH SURVEYS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD AND SHOULD COVER (1) THE GENERAL POPULATION, (2) THE RURAL AND URBAN AND ETHNIC SUBGROUPS, AND (3) FOUR GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES ACCORDING TO POPULATION DENSITY AND CRIME RATE. THESE RESULTS ARE TO BE COMPLEMENTED BY DATA FROM AN 'ELITE' GROUP OF 500 RESPONDENTS, A SECOND GROUP OF 250 DELINQUENTS, AND TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS OF SUBGROUPS ON SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. THE NATIONAL SAMPLE IS TO BE ESTABLISHED ACCORDING TO GEOGRAPHY, TOWN SIZE, SELECTED CITIES, CENSUS ZONES, CITY AREAS, HOUSEHOLDS, RESPONDENTS, ETHNIC GROUPS (GERMAN, ITALIAN, UKRANIAN, DUTCH, SCANDINAVIAN, POLISH, AMERICAN INDIAN, JEWISH, AND ASIAN), RURAL GROUPS (LESS THAN 5,000 INHABITANTS PER TOWN), AND METROPOLITAN AREAS. ELITE PANEL MEMBERS ARE TO BE INFLUENTIAL FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS WHO ARE PROFESSIONALLY INTERESTED IN CRIME AND CRIMINALS, AS WELL AS NONPOLITICAL BUSINESS AND MEDIA LEADERS. THE DELINQUENT SAMPLE IS TO BE SELECTED ACCORDING TO AGE, SEX, AND TYPE OF CRIME. TO MEASURE THE COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, AND CONATIVE DIMENSIONS OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES ON BOTH THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL LEVELS, SIX QUESTIONS ARE SUGGESTED, THREE ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED NORMS AND SOCIAL DEFINITIONS OF DEVIANCE AND THREE ON VIEWS OF THE POPULATION REGARDING THE PRACTICAL FUNCTION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRST STUDY FOCUS ON THE THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL POLICY, THE SECOND ON PRACTICAL ASPECTS, AND THE THIRD ON SECONDARY AREAS, THAT EACH STUDY HAVE A COMMON BASE COVERING ALL ASPECTS, AND THAT THE ELITE AND DELINQUENT SURVEYS BE CONDUCTED BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD SURVEYS. THE DIVISION OF THE SAMPLE INTO FIVE NONPROPORTIONAL REGIONS RENDERS STATISTICAL ANALYSIS MORE COMPLEX, BUT CANNOT BE AVOIDED. A TIME-TABLE AND OTHER TABLES ARE PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)