Young Offenders: Criminals or Victims - Research Proposal Example

Running Head: Dissertation Proposal Dissertation Proposal [Institute’s Dissertation Proposal Introduction “A crime is any enactment or mistake resulting from neglect forbidden by law for the security and safeguard of the people and populace, and fixed as a penal offense by the country in a juridical proceeding in its own identity” (Wolfgang & Johnston, pp. 23-25, 1962). Until few decades ago, only adult individuals of the society were victims of this social evil; however, recent studies have indicated existence of adolescent offenders in developing, as well as developed parts of the world that are carrying out criminal activities like robbery, theft, rape, and even murders. In the United Kingdom, any individual falling below the age group of 18 years and above 12 years of age who carries out any criminal offense, he/she becomes a juvenile offender, and number of such young offenders is increasing every year that has enforced experts to identify and recognize factors that are causing such inefficiencies in the society. For this purpose, the proposed study will attempt to identify and analyze different aspects of young offenders in the United Kingdom, and will endeavor to discuss factors that enforce young individuals to commit criminal activities. Purpose Statement Particularly, the proposed study will focus on the following purpose statement: “To identify different aspects of young offenders as criminals or victims in the United Kingdom, and analyze factors, which enforce young individuals to commit crimes in the society” Research Objectives It is imperative for a study to identify objectives along with a defined purpose statement, as lack of focused objectives often causes incompetent results, as well as misuse of resources. It is anticipation that outcomes of the proposed research will facilitate the researcher to identify different factors related to young offenders, and circumstances that enforce them to involve in such unconstructive activities in the society. In addition, the proposed study foresees wide-ranging analysis of different studies related to the identified purpose statement that will enable the researcher in deciding the status of young offenders as victims or as criminals. Furthermore, the proposed research will endeavor to identify flaws in the UK Justice System that are responsible for existence of young offenders in the region. Lastly, the proposed study is expecting to obtain identification of possible solutions that can contribute in eliminating different factors related to young offenders in the UK. Literature Review Few experts (Wolfgand & Johnston, pp. 56-63, 1962) have specified that crimes are the outcomes of unpleasant social circumstances. Pleasure or personal satisfaction is not always the cause of criminal activities, and sometimes, unconstructive circumstances enforce individuals to commit criminal activities, (Caldwell, pp. 30-32, 2002) and thus, the criminal is not always the cause, but can be the victim as well. In this regard, it is now crucial to identify factors that may allow distinction between the two categories of offender: cause (criminals) and effect (victims). Since few years, experts (Omaji, pp. 49-54, 2003) have observed a rapid increase in the rate of youth imprisonment in the United Kingdom that is affecting hundreds of families in the region. Although it is essential to punish criminals, however, experts believe that child incarceration is not a significant approach of eliminating youth crime from the society. In order to distinguish between the categories of criminals and victims, studies (Goldsmith et al, pp. 77-89, 2003) have identified a number of factors that incline young offenders toward crimes in our society, such as poverty, illiteracy, child abuse, etc. In addition, few sociologists have categorized different factors into various aspects, such as social circumstances, ethical reasons, racial issues, environmental effects, religious disparities, mental issues, and family history (Bessant & Watts, pp. 33-41, 2007). On the other hand, experts have argued that sometimes there is no reason but personal satisfaction, and that is purely a criminal aspect of a young offender. Further analysis of literature (Wolfgand & Johnston, pp. 57-60, 1962) has identified Social Disorganization Theory that blames inefficiencies of social institutions as the basic cause of young offenders. Social institutions are responsible to provide a constructive and optimistic environment by implanting ethical values in young individuals that may forbid them from committing criminal activities. Experts have noted that incompetency of social organizations is one of the major factors that incline youth towards crimes (Langstrom, pp. 855-871, 2000). Reports of the UK government (Home Office, 2008) have indicated that law enforcement agencies and Youth Justice Board cannot stop giving harsh penalties to young offenders, as it is essential for maintaining safe and healthy society. At the same time, experts believe that these punitive punishments have resulted in opposing outcomes. Harsh punishments are meant to enable young offenders to recover and break their offending cycle; however, these punishments take them away from their families into an isolated environment consisting of professional criminals. Few studies have indicated that the UK Youth Justice Board (HM Government, 2008) is attempting to eradicate factors associated with youth crime by the introduction of new juvenile offending organization, but such steps are encouraging young offenders to turn into professional criminals, rather than responsible citizens of the society. ‘Innocent until proven guilty’ is the standard notion in various criminal justice systems globally. However, such notion has disappeared in the Criminal Justice System of the United Kingdom, particularly, in the cases of young offenders (Muncie, pp. 51-56, 2004). Child psychologists (Ireland, pp. 19-20, 2005) have indicated that child incarceration causes stigmatization and young prisoners are not able to trust anyone around them, and prefer their isolation from innocent public of the society. Another study (Pickford, pp. 37-48, 2000) identified during the literature review specified that youth prison in the United Kingdom is an attempt to maintain the balance in a sociological manner to protect innocent people, rather than to improve lives of young offenders. In this regard, even if a young individual commits crime as a victim due to an adverse circumstance, the other factors take him/her towards characteristics of a professional criminal, rather than towards attributes of constructive young members of the society (HM Government, pp. 1-11, 2005). Methodology It is important for a researcher to benefit from previously carried out researches, and at the same time, carry out primary research for the identification of possible gaps between the two research approaches. Specifically, secondary method includes archival analysis of academic journals and books, significant for identifying required information. On the other hand, primary research involves hand-to-hand production of information through surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. In particular, this research will select material related to crimes, criminal activities, young offenders, and various factors related to juvenile delinquency, particularly in context of the United Kingdom through secondary research methodology. Besides, the proposed study will attempt to identify abovementioned-discussed factors through questionnaires and surveys that will provide a comprehensive understanding of different aspects of the research statement. Specifically, surveys are important components of primary research method that will include formulation of different questions according to the purpose statement. Unlike secondary research method, researcher will gather information hand-to-hand by selecting young offenders, their family members along with some law enforcement officials, if possible (Babbie, pp. 23-29, 2000). In other words, the proposed research will obtain underpinning from outcomes of questionnaires of some of the stakeholders related to the identified topic in a brief manner while carrying out secondary research in a comprehensive manner. Every research approach has some benefits, as well as, advantages. In terms of advantages, secondary research allows research to collect information easily, not involving hard work as required during primary methodologies due to hand-to-hand generation of information (Delanty & Strydom, pp. 19-20, 2003). In addition, time is another important factor that inclines researchers to choose secondary research method (Bernard, pp. 54-61, 2005). Moreover, secondary research method is one of the inexpensive methods, and in contrast, primary method requires workforce and funding that often becomes a major hurdle. On the other hand, anybody can access available information from different sources, such as journals, books, websites, etc during secondary research method. (Babbie, pp. 30-36, 2000) Therefore, this is another reason that the present study will focus more on methodological approaches of secondary research. Data Analysis Quantitative approach is a very effective approach to analyze data with the help of statistical graphs. In addition, measurement is an imperative tool in quantitative research analysis that allows mathematical understanding of findings. On the other hand, qualitative analysis enables the research to understand information in a theoretical manner, applicable in different disciplines. Specifically, the proposed study will consider both qualitative, as well as quantitative approaches for data analysis to acquire arithmetic and theoretical understanding of the identified objectives discussed earlier in the proposal. For quantitative analysis, proposed study will use the following formula for sample size calculation: Formula: SS = Z 2 * (p) * (1-p) c 2 Where: SS= Sample Size Z = Z score (1.96 is taken for 95% confidence level according to normal distribution table) p = percentage (50%), expressed as decimal (0.5 used for required sample size) c = confidence interval, taken in decimal form (for ±5, = 0.05) (1.96)2 * (0.5) * (1-0.5) = 0.9604 = 384.16 (0.05)2 0.0025 Confidence Level: 95% Confidence Interval: 5 Sample Size 384 Research Plan It is imperative for a study to consider every aspect of the topic to avoid any loopholes in the outcomes. For such reason, primary and research methodologies will take a minimum period of one month that will involve identification of previously carried out studies related to the topic, as well as time for distributing and collecting questionnaires during the study. The researcher will endeavor to start writing during this period roughly, and will take a week to complete thesis that will be very beneficial and valuable item in the academic world. Conclusion In short, the research proposal has discussed few aims along with literature review that offered an overview of the factors related to young offenders in the contemporary society, and about circumstances that enforce young individuals to involve in different criminal activities. Additionally, it indicated that young offenders are not always criminals, but can be victims of some other adverse event in the past. The proposed study will carry out discussed methodologies to obtain accurate and rational information that will be beneficial for students, teachers, and professionals in better understanding of the topic. References Babbie, E. (2000). The practice of social research, USA: Wadsworth. Bernard, Harvey Russell. (2005). Research Methods in Anthropology. USA: Rowman Altamira. Caldwell, M. F. (2002). “What we do not know about juvenile sexual Re-offense Risk.” Child Maltreatment. Volume 7. Delanty, G. & Strydom, P. (2003). Philosophies of Social Science. Maidenhead: Routledge. Goldsmith, A., Israel, M., Daly, K. (2006). “Youth and Crime”. Crime and Justice: a Guide to Criminology. Sydney: Lawbook Co. HM Government. (2005). Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Development. London: Ministry of Justice Press. HM Government. (2008). Youth Crime Action Plan 2008. London: Ministry of Justice Press. Home Office. (2008). Youth Crime. Retrieved on November 29, 2008; http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/youth-crime Ireland, Jane L. (2005). Bullying Among Prisoners. UK: Willan Publishing. Langstrom, N. (2000). “Risk for criminal recidivism among young sex offenders.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Volume 15. Muncie, John. (2004). Youth and Crime, Second Edition. London: Sage. Omaji, Paul. (2003). Responding to Youth Crime. London: Hawkins Press. Pickford, Jane. (2000). Youth Justice. UK: Routledge. Wolfgang, Savitz, L. Johnston, N. (1962). The Sociology of Crime and Delinquency. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Read More