Charging Children as Adults - Essay Example

Charging Children as Adults Preparing research for the important issues of the criminal justice world can appear to be simpler than those of project management in business, the classroom, or while running a police force. To conduct research on project management, there are often seven steps that need to be taken, which starts with identifying a problem for which research and objectives are formulated to bring about a theoretical framework. Following these first three steps, research methodology is designed to collect and interpret data that will bring about conclusions. From the conclusions, recommendations are made and a course of action is taken (Denscombe, 316). With matters dealing with criminal justice, the method is not much different. First, the issue has to be stated, then it is discussed, and conclusions are drawn. Where steps look like they may have been skipped, the research objectives are within the job description of solving crime, and methodology and data collection is done during the discussion of the issue if it has not been done already. The matter at hand for this discussion is that of charging children as adults for the crimes they commit. When children are charged as adults for crimes, it can leave a permanent mark on their record that they will never be able to outlive. It is believed by some that this method of criminal justice will serve as a warning to those who would otherwise do harm to others, saving untold numbers of people from harm and homicide. Others believe that the children who are sentenced to these kinds of charges are from states of disenfranchisement, with matters only made worse by the fact that where they once did not believe they would overcome their situations, they are now supported in their own conclusions, guaranteeing them a life of less opportunity than those who may commit the same crimes, but do not suffer the same consequences as a result of the advocacy they receive from their community. In conducting researching for issues in the criminal justice system, the two most common methods are quantitative and qualitative (Maxfield; Babbie, 23). Quantitative analysis is that which deals with concrete facts, or quantities. The number of traffic citations a police officer gives would be quantitative as would his or her hours. Qualitative analysis is less concrete as it deals with areas that cannot be measured. Satisfaction from those who receive tickets with the demeanor of the ticketing officer would be qualitative. This, however, is not easy to determine as dissatisfied citizens are more likely to call in about an officer than those who had a pleasant experience. Countering this, though, is the common practice of placing cameras on vehicles, allowing supervisors to review their subordinates to ensure that proper procedure is followed. Another resource for qualitative analysis about an officer would be hours of community service, and recognition received as a result by way of certificates of appreciation or good press. When dealing with research of the topic at hand, quantitative analysis would pertain to the crime rate patterns of people within a certain age range. For instance, if gun crimes are on the rise for children ages 8-12 over the past five years in the state of Texas, then various courses of action will need to be considered after other quantitative research is conducted. For example, are the gun crimes related to gang violence? Are the children American citizens, or are they from South or Central America? If they are from Mexico, should they be prosecuted or deported? If they are deported, what is the likelihood of them returning and committing similar acts later? Qualitative research would look into other areas that include profiling to accompany the quantitative data that is gathered. Multi-cultural conflict models as well as psychological and personality studies may be formed in order to assist with the data collection (Pogrebin, 113). Quantitative research has many strengths. When gathering concrete data one can test theories or a hypothesis based on what is found in order to validated or disprove how and why something occurs. By using a random sample, findings can be generalized, allowing for more substantive qualitative analysis later on, and because all of the information is usually very concise and easy to understand, it can be useful in future research when referenced. In addition to this, it is easy to use when studying large groups of people, such as children from the ages of 8-12, and the findings are independent of what the researcher thought would be found. This last strength is the most powerful because the data that is found can have more influence than any person with an opinion, because the data will show how and why something occurs. Quantitative research is not always perfect, though. For example, the information may not be relevant to what is actually going on in the area that is studied, and the theories being tested may not reflect those of the people being represented. Also, confirmation bias can occur as a researcher is attempting to confirm his or her own theory or hypothesis rather than creating others that can aid in solving the problem at hand (Johnson; Christensen, 14.1). Among the strengths of qualitative research, on the other hand, is that the emphasis of a category is relative to the participant. If one feels that his or her heritage is important, then this will rate highly. This method is useful for studying cases in depth, describing matters that are complex, and the case information per individual is insightful. Additionally, qualitative research is responsive to changes during a study, and it responds well to local situations that may not appear elsewhere, such as youth violence in Texas. Lastly, this kind of research is very useful in demonstrating how something occurs to those receiving the final outcomes and conclusions of the data after it has been analyzed because it can “determine idiographic causation.” Weaknesses of qualitative research are that it is very time consuming, hard to predict, and is not always reliable, creating an environment where predictions are hard to make and the results more easy to influence as a result of a researcher’s biases (Johnson; Christensen, 14.2). If a person was to approach the issue of charging children as adults for crimes they commit, and the research is conducted quantitatively, areas that could be considered would be how many children were charged as adults, what were the crimes, how many other children committed similar crimes, and then the background of the people involved with the children. This background would include criminal history, family dynamics, education, ethnicity, finances, location, and gang involvement. Qualitatively, background can be gathered from experts such as detectives, child psychologists, juvenile delinquents, people from the same or similar backgrounds and neighborhoods, and pediatricians or ER doctors. Once the data is collected, more information will be needed, such as what value, if any, is offered in charging children as adults for crimes. Will this kind of charge deter other children from committing the same crimes, or will it have a negative impact, stigmatizing him or her after getting out of prison while not impacting the local crime scene at all? One example is that of prostitution charges on young girls. In one case in Phenix City, Georgia, a fifteen-year-old girl was charged with prostitution for having intercourse with two men. The men were charged with rape and sodomy, the former of which makes sense since the girl was not of age to consent to this kind of activity, but what does not make sense is that she was charged with a crime as well (Riquelmy). Essentially, the police ruled against the men, citing that they were with a girl who was not of the proper mind to engage in consensual intercourse, but then they charged the girl who had been violated, citing that she was of the proper mind to make business decisions that involve the sale of sexual services. If this girl wanted a checkbook, she would be denied by every bank in the country, but if she was engaged in sex for money, then she willfully prostituted herself. When this data is complemented with the qualitative research of interviewing people who live, work, or grew up in the kinds of communities where teens are openly working the streets as call girls, it is not uncommon to find that the people who are from there do not feel that they can necessarily trust members of the local law enforcement to protect them. With cases like this, it is not hard to see why. In fact, it is safe to say that while it should make sense to one who is taking care of such a case that this young girl needed an advocate in her experience with the police, she received the opposite of advocacy in being arrested for a crime that her perpetrators are said to have committed against her, because if she could not consent to intercourse, then she was, in fact, raped, and if this young girl had had an advocate, whether it was a parent, attorney, or local law enforcement, she would not have a criminal record for this incident. When making conclusions, a final analysis of all of the data found in conducting research is made. This analysis is of the utmost importance. Mistakes can lead to more mistakes down the road when these conclusions are used as a reference for matters that deal with crimes by minors. For example, if empirical evidence is found stating that charging minors as adults, possibly offering them the death penalty, has a direct positive effect on lowering violent crime, then this method of law enforcement should be considered for the good of all the people who live in these neighborhoods. If, however, this information is false despite being concluded otherwise, then the repercussions could be harsh as police fight a never ending battle against a population who views them as the enemy. If the conclusion is found that rather than taking a harder stance on the law regarding minors, it would be more beneficial to them and those who are to follow to have more positive community interaction from people who can serve as role models with more support for programs like the YMCA, YWCA, women’s shelters, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, then bringing substantial assistance by way of people getting involved in the community would be a proper recommendation. If this is not true, though, then the same uphill battle will be faced by those with hopes of making the world a better place. Works Cited Denscombe, Martyn. The Good Research Guide: for small-scale social research projects. Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2010. Print. Maxfield, Michael; Babbie, Earl. Basics of Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing, 2008. Print. Pogrebin, Mark. Qualitative Approaches to Criminal Justice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publishing, 2002. Print. Johnson, Burke; Christensen, Larry. Educational Research. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000. Print. Riquelmy, Alex. "2 Men Face Rape, Sodomy Charges in Connection With Juvenile." Ledger-Enquirer (2010): n. pag. Web. 17 Feb 2011. . Read More