Methods in Context

Methods in Context

1. Domestic Violence

   • Private
     • Participant Observation not possible
   • Under-reported and under-recorded
     • Lack Validity
   • Victims hard to access
     • Hard to gain a representative sample
   • Sensitive topic
     • Unstructured interviews effective
       • Rapport
     • Confidentiality

2. Violent Crime

   • Relies on the victims memory
     • Reduce validity
   • Violence is spontaneous
     • Observation is difficult and time consuming
   • Researching gangs is difficult
     • Covert Participant Observation
       • Ethical problems
       • Risk to researcher
       • Maintaining covert role
   • Offenders of violence
     • Difficult cooperation

3. Corporate Crime

   • Under-reported by the media
     • Difficult to define
       • Crime statistics likely to lack validity
   • Complex
     • Organisations in more than one country
       • Time consuming
       • Expensive
   • Difficult access
     • Those in positions of power
       • Ensure their actions aren't defined as criminal