Research Paper On Criminal Law

Identify the purpose of the research study, problem, and questions

The purpose of the research study was to investigate whether there is a disproportionate minority representation of people from the age of 8 to 18 across different ethnic backgrounds. The researchers gathered data that was used to compare the representation of the African American youth, the European American youth and African American youth in the juvenile justice (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). The aim of the research was to present findings that are backed up with valid data to support the arguments presented. Moreover, the researchers used the ethnic minority factor to establish the disproportionate representation of the United States justice system. Aggression was also taken into consideration so that it could determine the representation.

Problem

Since time immemorial, specific races are considered superior to others. The minorities are subject to discrimination, and often they denied their basic human rights. The society has lacked transparency and accountability because of the lack of fairness and equality demonstrated by justice systems. For instance, there exists a large difference in the representation of juvenile in jails and prisons. The minority is discriminated against in all stages of the juvenile justice process, and this is the reason justice must prevail and serve all individuals in a free and fair manner (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). There is the need for people to eliminate the perceptions existing from the past and conduct studies that will portray the reality on the ground.

Research questions

The researcher used the following research questions in the study
What are the risks of entry that jeopardizes the representation of racial minority groups in the juvenile justice system?
What is the extent in which the developmental patterns and entry risks varied in male and female youth putting SES factors into consideration?

How does aggression acts as a predictive factor that determines the representation of individuals in the juvenile justice system.

The objectives of the research questions were not to measure the disproportionate minority representation but to provide insight into inclusive and accurate information that exposes the entry risks experienced between the childhood and adulthood stage.

Describe the design of the study

The study used the correlational research design. The researcher aimed at determining the existing relationship between ethnic representation and disproportionate rates in the juvenile justice system. The study targets at establishing the reasons for the injustice induced by minority groups since there are claims that the juvenile system is corrupt and rotten to instill a sense of confidence in all individuals (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). It is a form of quantitative research as the researcher used a sample population to gather data. As an experimental research design, it used the age and ethnic background of the participants as the dependent variable. The correlational research design helped the researchers to establish the causality between variables with a reliable confidence range.

An example of inductive logic and one example of deductive logic as reflected in the results.

An example of inductive logic in the study is that lack of a proper platform that was used to determine the aggression behavior in different races. The researcher could have improved on the matter to bring more on the table. On the other hand, the discrete-time survival analysis statistical model appeared to include evidence in data analysis making it logical and applicable in quantitative research.

Identify whether the research study is a quantitative or qualitative design.

The research study is a quantitative research since it uses the statistical methods to measure the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Correlation research design was influential since it indicated the strength and relationship between variables. Quantitative research tries to establish the causes, relationships and associations to come up with useful meanings (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). In this study, the researcher had little influence on the independent variables. Quantitative research applies statistical methods to establish the relationships between variables. In this study, the researcher used a discrete-time survival analysis to gather useful data that could illustrate the factors of entry in the juvenile justice system.

Identify the methodology, population, sampling methods, and return rate, if applicable.

The sample in the research study was carefully chosen from N=4,679 lower to lower-middle Social Economic Status youths and adolescents. The population of males was 50.2%, and females stood at 49.8%. Both genders represented the violence prevention method carried out between 1994 and 1999 (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010).Time 1 data was significant in the study as it was used to measure background variables together how teachers rated aggression in Kindergarten 5th-grade children. Since the original sample missed the assessment from teachers, the cases were canceled n=1,925. In the end, sample study reflected n=2,743 children. The end results were consistent with the inventive sample as the ethnic minorities were represented as Hispanic (55.4%), European American (25.8%), American Indian (13.6%), African American (4%), and Asian America (1.3%). After a decade, the juvenile court data of the participants was collected after they attained 18years of age (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010). The official data matched with the study data, and this illustrated that it was effective to measure the disproportionate representation of the minority since early childhood to late adolescent. Consistency was fundamental for the success of the research study because it reduced errors associated with research studies.

What were the findings of the study?

The survival analysis was repeated with the help of Time 1 data excluding the teacher-reported aggression as a model’s predictor to illuminate whether the omitted data on aggression reflected on the unexpected findings in relation to SES factors. Putting into consideration the total samples, the findings reflected an existing relationship between SES and the risk for entry observed in the juvenile justice system (b= 0.212, P<0.001). These findings were similar to those acquired when the sample was reduced. The findings indicated that the omitted data from teacher-rated aggression could also be a reason for the existing association between SES and risk of entry (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010).
Findings indicated that youths had a high probability to find them within the juvenile justice system at age 14. The age-crime curve also reflected more similar results. The slight difference was attributed to the fact that fewer serious forms of deviance were ignored during the study. Moreover, the investigation of the causes of entry risk agreed to the fact that disproportionate minority was a common element in the juvenile justice system.
In addition, at some point the entry risks might also be influenced by the aggressive behavior of participants. For instance, from the start, the participants from the Hispanic community had predictive aggressive behaviors, and this might have been a major factor that determined the entry risk. The sample indicated that Hispanic participants had a higher degree of aggressive behavior and a high SES which might have placed them more vulnerable to the juvenile justice system (Vazsonyi & Chen, 2010).

Conclusions and recommendations

According to the researchers, the evidence-based study indicated that there was a disproportionate minority contact, but this only occurred in the Hispanic participants. The discussions also indicated that the entry risk was not a key factor in races, but it was determined by gender. Also, SES factor was determinant of the entry factor in juvenile justice system. To some extent, the evidence also demonstrated that the ‘maturational liability’ developed over time and was not in any way influenced by the tested focal predictors.

Opinion and thoughts

In my opinion, the researchers compiled efforts to come up with effective research findings touching the field of criminal law. The study used a quantitative research design that measured the existing relationship between variables in an efficacious manner. It should be noted that, the discrete-time survival analysis was a statistical model that had never been used in similar studies, and it turned out to illustrate the best results. The authors must be accredited by taking the mantle to introduce a unique statistical method of analysis that analyzed the data in a very clear manner.
The weakness that faced the study included the inability of the researchers to trace the youths that migrated from the Arizona state. Despite the weakness, the validity of the findings was not affected at a significant rate. The results went ahead to indicate how the risk of entry changed as children grew from childhood to adulthood. The study was unique since it analyzed how other races conducted themselves and singled Hispanic to have uniquely aggressive behavior. It is also important for the researchers to thinking on the best way to measure the magnitude of aggression since the current study did not capture the best method.
The selection of the sample size was done perfectly as the participants represented the population in an evenly distributed manner. The sample size was a true representation of the population and it was not associated with biasness. The researchers were patient to carry out a study within a decade and trace the participants who still lived in Arizona. The research study was incredible and implausible as it set pace for others to advance and make it better. I like the development from the aims of the research study to the conclusions and recommendations. The authors conducted the research in the right manner.

References

Vazsonyi, A. T., & Chen, P. (2010). Entry risk into the juvenile justice system: African American, American Indian, Asian American, European American, and Hispanic children and adolescents. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 51(6), 668-678.