Crime Rate in the United States of America - Essay Example

Lecturer Interview Transcript Research Topic: Research Study on Crime Rate in the United s of America Research Question: What are the factors that influence crime rate in the USA? Follow-up Questions 1. What is your understanding on crime in America? 2. Can you describe the government agencies responsible for combating crime? 3. Explain the issues which influence criminal activities. 4. What measures do you think should be put in place to minimize crime incidences? 5. How can the US government control factors which increase the crime rate? Introduction Scientific research is the process of analyzing data using statistical methods which are standardized, in order to determine validity of the empirical research. Empirical research involves getting knowledge through direct / indirect experience, interview or observation. What are some factors that influence crime in USA? The term crime ordinarily means an unlawful act which is punishable by the state. Crime or criminal offense is an act which is harmful to individuals, communities or state. Such acts are not tolerated; and they are punishable through the law. The state or government has the powers of limiting one’s liberty, if a crime is committed. In modern society; there is a criminal procedure which must be adhered to during the process of investigation and / or trial. If the accused is found guilty; then he / she will be sentenced to face punishment such as; imprisonment, life imprisonment, community service, or even death in some countries. To be seen as a crime; the practice of doing bad acts must be accompanied by the intention of committing bad activities. Although every crime breaks the law; not ever acts of law violation counts as crime. Breaches in private laws are enforced through the civil procedures; not necessarily punishable by the government. Crime has been present in the United States of America since the time of colonization. The rates of crime have continuously changed over time; there was a sharp rise in crime after the Second World, and the level peaked in the periods between 1970s and early 1990s. As from beginning of 1990s, the crime rates have reduced in the USA. Current crime level is almost equal to the levels experienced in the 1960s. Crime statistics in the USA are officially recorded in the; Uniform Crime Report, made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and National Crime Victimization Surveys, made by Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Federal Bureau of Investigations also publishes yearly reports on the level of law enforcement in the USA. According the Federal Bureau of Investigations; crime in the USA involves property and violent crime. Violent crime include four major issues; robbery, aggravated assault, forcible rape, and murder and non–negligent manslaughter. Property crime involve issues like; arson, motor vehicle theft, larceny and burglary. Since the 1990s, the crime rate in the United States of America has continuously reduced. This decline is attributable to several hypothetical explanations; the US government has considerably increased the number of security officers as form early 1990s; changes in demographic factors has seen an aging population, hence decreased crime rates; in 1994 the Violent Crime Control and Enforcement Act was passed into law by President Clinton, the enacted law ensured adequate budgetary allocations in improvement of law enforcement and crime prevention programs; the prison population increased since the 1970s; drug abuse rate declined, hence criminal acts due to effects of drugs also reduced; and legalization of abortion in many states also ensured reduced associated crimes. The factors which influence crime rate in USA revolve around five main issues. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, areas with high population and also high population density, experience high rate of crimes. These crimes are usually residential in nature; for example domestic assaults, car theft, burglaries or even larceny. Economic conditions also affect the level of crimes. According to the year 2002 research study done by Bruce Weinberg of Ohio State University; poor economy has significant effect on increased crime rates. In the research; Weinberg found out that crime rate increases when the wage levels reduced; this is because the payoff of the criminal practice is much greater than the minimum wage. Also, an economy with high unemployment rate is most likely to suffer from high crime rates; this is because the unemployed youths get income from alternative and illegal sources like crime. Places which have high levels of commercial (business district) populations experience more crime. Many crimes in this areas are usually business related; for example forgery, shoplifting, burglaries, larceny and identity theft. Other theft cases are also reported; for example muggings, theft and robbery with violence, and violent protests. Some scholars have developed theories which indicate that climate is another factor which influence crime rate. In 1984, John Rotton, a psychologist at the Florida International University, explained that hot and dry weather influenced crimes. Burglary, rape, and murder; were more likely to take place on warmer days or seasons. Distressed neighborhood also contributes to increased crime rates. Neighborhoods that are disorderly, run-down and graffiti covered usually experience more crimes than the orderly and clean neighborhoods. Many people who are unemployed, uneducated and poor reside in distressed neighborhoods; they therefore, participate in criminal activities in order to earn income. Aims of the Interview in Sociological Research The semi structured interview conducted in this sociology research; provides guidelines required in answering our research question; what are some factors that influence crime in USA? The Semi structured interview is open; and hence it allows new thoughts and ideas to be initiated during the interview process, based on the additional information provided by the interviewee. According to the prepared interview schedule; the interview process aims at answering several issues, and providing recommendations on the possible solutions for the crime problem experienced in the United States of America. Answers are sought using the five interview questions guide indicated in the interview guide or plan. The first intention of the interview is to understand what the term crime generally means. The legal or constitutional meaning of the terminology will be studied, in the context of United Sates of America. The everyday meaning of the terminology ‘crime’ will also be explored; understanding the meaning of the subject of research acts as the benchmark or foundation of the entire research process. The second issue to be further discussed in the interview process involves the state agencies combating crime; the interview process must explain the challenges that the agencies are facing, and also recommendations on what should be done to minimize the challenges. The third question to be solved involves identifying the current factors which increase the rates of crime in America. The fourth question involves identifying instruments which can be used in favorably controlling the crime causing factors, so that the crime rate does not further increase. Finally, the fifth aim of the interview identifies the way forward; ensuring that the crime problem does not increase beyond our control. Qualitative Interview Methodology Qualitative interview involves the process of finding out what other people feel, view and believe, concerning a certain given issue. The qualitative interview ensures that the received information is obtained and thereafter compared with existing or known knowledge. The main reasons for using the interview method in this qualitative research are that; semi structured interviews expands our knowledge and understanding on issues affecting the society like crime; the interview gives insights and concepts concerning crime in USA, to understand historical crime cases, to identify certain extreme or abnormal crime cases, and to validate interview results. The data collection tool employed is face to face interviews; where the researcher engaged in discussions on crime in USA with the respondents. The respondents were selected through the process of selective sampling. A total of 900 respondents participated in this research; 200 respondents from the police service, 200 respondents from low income neighborhoods, 200 respondents from high income neighborhoods, 200 students from both high school and colleges, 50 respondents from the media industry, and 50 respondents from the academia profession. The research was conducted in six months duration; from 1st November 2013 to 30th April 2013. This research interview was topical, because facts and sequence of crime was studied. The researcher contacted the respondents in time; and enquired about the venue and time of the interview. Information collected from the respondents must be treated with utmost confidentiality, and if a respondent requested the data source will be anonymous. The data recording tools employed by the researcher was note taking; tape-recording was also use to record data given by only consenting respondents. Data Analysis In this research, narrative analysis was used in the analysis of collected data. This analysis technique focuses on either written information or oral information. Narrative analysis is interdisciplinary; hence no single method is effectively applicable. Narrative analysis is popular in the social sciences, because it renews interest in the roles played by languages in the society or social interaction. This research paper on crime employs this analysis technique, because the interview method provides oral information on crime cases in USA. The interview process requires superior communication abilities on the part of both respondents and researcher; this leads to smooth discussion and sharing of ideas. Creative interviewing is another qualitative analysis technique. Interview process applying this method is normally flexible, semi-structured, and qualitative. This interview analysis process is dynamic, flexible and reacts to situational dynamics. This is involves investigation; the researcher participates and interacts in situational dynamics. Data from this research, crimes in USA, is analyzed through creative writing because it possesses all the qualities, for example the flexibility quality, or the semi-structured quality; where questions online act as a guideline when answering research questions. Coding Data Pattern An important step in analyzing the qualitative data involves coding the speech into proper categories which enables t he researcher to organize large data quantities, which will be difficult to understand by listening to audio recording or transcript reading. Original copies of transcripts must always be kept. It is advisable to first arrange the interview transcripts in a chronological manner; or other acceptable criteria. The next procedure involves initial coding through developing many category codes as the responses are heard and understood, then labeling related data. Notes should be written, representing ideas and representations identified, keen attention must be made on special vocabularies because they indicate important issues. Texts may however be assigned several codes. In the last step, focused coding should be employed in order to subdivide, eliminate or combine the coding categories, and identify larger themes or repeating ideas that interconnect codes. Repeating ideas involves similar concepts described by different respondents. A theme likewise, is a big topic that connects repeating ideas. The following factors must be taken into consideration when coding qualitative data: identification of the common themes that emerge during responses on a specified topic; identifying deviations and the factors with cause them, how are respondents environment and past experiences related to their attitudes; the interesting points of view that arise from the answers, provision of more information if the patterns suggest, and the emerging patterns must be similar with related study, if not then the discrepancy causes must be studied. Validity and Reliability of Data Validity and reliability shows proof that a research is scientifically and philosophically sound and accurate. Reliability implies that other researchers should be able to perform the same research, under the same environment, and obtain similar findings or results. The scientific community will therefore find this research reliable because it uses proven data collection instrument of semi structured interview; and scientific method of selective sampling was used in data collection. Data recording and analysis processes are also scientific; and the process can be repeated by another researcher. Validity explains the entire research process; and identifies if findings obtained meet the requirements of scientific research. This research paper is valid because it was prepared using information gathered from all the stages of the research process. The research topic was identified; the research question and hypothesis were formulated. Interview method was used in data collection; voice recording in data recording; and creative analysis was used in studying the collected information. Conclusion Empirical research evidence is normally analyzed through quantitative or qualitative methods. Many researchers combine both the qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, so as to effectively answer questions in the social sciences. Bibliography Goodwin, C. J. (2005). Research in Psychology: Methods and Design. USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heitink, G. (1999). Practical Theology: History, Theory, Action Domains: Manual for Practical Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, p. 233. Kvale, S. (2008) InterViews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing, London: Sage. Mason, J. (2002) Qualitative Interviewing: asking, listening and interpreting in T May (ed) Qualitative Research in Action, pp 225-241 London: Sage. Mason, J and Davies, K (2009) Coming to our senses? A critical approach to sensory methodology Qualitative Research, special issue on qualitative research and methodological innovation, vol. 9, No 5, 587-603 London: Sage. Savage, David G. (1 January 1999). Rehnquist Urges Shorter List of Federal Crimes. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Times. 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