Quantitative and qualitative research methods are the two central methods for conducting research. Although there are both advantages and disadvantages to each of these research methods, many researchers decide to merely utilize one of the methods, without exploring the other method at all. This is a problem as these researchers only get to analyze their research from one point of view rather than from differing points of view. In other words, these researchers will solely rely on numbers and statistics or solely rely on interviews and observations. The researchers Bonta and Gendreau are open to utilizing both research methods, however, instead of simply using quantitative research methods. Conversely, the researchers Roberts and Jackson are …show more content…
Quantitative research methods involve the use of numbers to epitomize the ramifications of a study (Palys, 2014, p. 16). Quantitative research methods are also objective, with accurate measurement being the central aspiration (Palys, 2014, p. 16). Moreover, they involve the use of questionnaires and surveys, rather than the use of interviews or participant observation like in qualitative methods. In particular, Bonta and Gendreau did a qualitative and quantitative study on prison crowding and the effects that it has on one 's physiological, psychological and behavioural states. Notably, Bonta and Gendreau use numbers as evidence to elucidate that crowded prisons are capable of triggering physiological as well as psychological stress among prisoners (Bonta & Gendreau, 1990, p. 355). This elucidates that long-term confinement is indeed able to affect one 's mental state. In this study, Bonta and Gendreau use surveys to investigate the effects that overcrowding has on inmates by taking three variables into consideration; physiological, psychological, and behavioural measures. Physiological measures involve inmates ' blood pressure and heart rate, psychological measures involve inmates ' reports of crowding and discomfort, and behavioural measures involve assaults and misconducts on other inmates (Bonta & Gendreau, 1990, p. 352). These numbers would then provide the researchers …show more content…
557). That is to say, imprisonment is not sufficiently represented by studying human society and social relationships of imprisoned individuals, according to Roberts and Jackson. Additionally, they provide the reader with the notion that research that has been done so far contending that the effects of incarceration does not affect individuals mentally cannot be well substantiated. This makes the reader question whether or not Bonta and Gendreau are justifiable in their argument in stating that the imprisonment does not effect individuals mentally or emotionally. Roberts and Jackson use well founded, credible evidence to affirm that it cannot be corroborated that long-term confinement has no effect on a human being 's mental and emotional
The “pains of imprisonment” can be divided into five main conditions that attack the inmate’s personality and his feeling of self-worth. The deprivations are as follows: The deprivation of liberty, of goods and services, of heterosexual relationships, autonomy and of security.
The effects of prolonged isolation for inmates in confinement cells are obsessive-compulsive tendencies, paranoia, anger-management issues, and severe anxiety (Sifferlin, Alexandra). Along with the basic concepts such as food, water, and shelter, there are two other basics that Dr. Terry Kupers states are required for human wellbeing: “social interaction and meaningful activity. By doing things we learn who we are and we learn our worth as a person. The two things solitary confinement does are make people solitary and idle” (Sifferlin, Alexandra). Isolation and confinement remove prisoners’ ability to perform significant tasks and act as a part of society. This dehumanizes the inmates because they are no longer able to understand their role as a human being. One inmate, Jeanne DiMola, spent a year in solitary confinement and expressed her thoughts while in the cell: “I felt sorry I was born … Most of all I felt sorry that there wasn 't a road to kill myself because every day was worse than the last" (Rodhan, Maya). In DiMola’s opinion, a death penalty more than likely would have felt more humane than the isolation she experienced. Another prisoner, Damon Thibodeaux, stated, “Life in solitary is made all the worse because it 's a hopeless existence … It is torture
The Stanford Prison Experiment, is "one of the most controversial studies in the history of social psychology." (Konnikova, M. (2015)) But really, it was a psychological study, in 1971, on the effects that a prisons can have on the individuals that inhabit there or the guards that guard those prisoners, for periods of time. In fact, it was a study to determine, understand, and gain knowledge on how an institution effected an individual or human 's behavior.
Today’s correctional institutions, policy makers, and supreme courts still continue to ignore the studies displaying the psychological effects of prisons. For example, in recent case challenges against the eighth amendment over solitary confinement have rarely succeeded. This is due to the regulation that conditions must deprive prisoners of at least one identifiable human physical need to be declared unconstitutional. Studies have shown that depriving proper mental stimulus results in extreme mental harm, but because it’s not physical damage courts rarely recognize the extreme mental harm in conditions retaining to confinement. Many court cases related to the psychological damages were inspired by the famous Stanford Prison Experiment that
In the previous chapters I discussed the problem of the lack of healthy eating promotion programs in schools are leaving parents and students uneducated about how to purchase healthy items which is leading to childhood obesity. I also discussed how the problem is being addressed, as well as the theory of social constructionism. In this chapter, I will discuss the specific methodology I plan to use and the three different types of data collection I plan to employ to carry out my study. This study will use a qualitative approach to study and address the issue of the lack of healthy eating promotion in schools. The three types of data collection I plan to use are: direct observation, focus groups and a questionnaire. These methods will be clarified later in this chapter.
The idea of experimentation of prison life achieved by the Stanford University students was intriguing and the results were interesting. Haney, Banks, and Zimbardo’s study due to a result of their curiosity of the reactions of subjects when placed in prisoner or prison guard roles. Their inspiration for the study was somewhat unclear; however, hypothetically reasoning was placed on determining aspects of the actual reality of incarceration. The experimenters also strived to test the theory on whether prisoners face abhorrent conditions due to their interpersonal evils, or do to the aggressive and deviant behaviors of prison guards (Haney, Banks, Zimbardo, 1973).
Unfortunately, the majority of prisons house more inmates than they can manage safely and effectively, which creates an environment of disorder and tension and often times results in violent episodes. Down time in prisons for inmates is one of the most dangerous scenarios po...
Spelman, W. (2000). What recent studies do (and don’t) tell us about imprisonment and crime (Vol. 23). In M. Tonry (Ed.), Crime and Justice: A Review of Research (pp. 419-494). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Retrieved November 11, 2013 from http://heinonline.org.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/HOL/Page?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/cjrr27&id=427#427.
Overcrowding is one of the predominate reasons that Western prisons are viewed as inhumane. Chapman’s article has factual information showing that some prisons have as many as three times the amount of prisoners as allowed by maximum space standards. Prison cells are packed with four to five prisoners in a limited six-foot-by-six-foot space, which then, leads to unsanitary conditions. Prisons with overcrowding are exposed to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as, tuberculosis and hepatitis.
It is certainly undeniable that the decision to commit a crime is ultimately individual, despite the fact that circumstances may make crime the option with greatest utility. It is also undeniable that central motivations for certain crimes are purely psychological or personal, like sexual assault without theft, or school shootings. Reform and rehabilitation, then, must be conducted individually, with respect and consideration of the emotional and psychological needs of criminals. The question is: can prisons meet these kind of needs? This is certainly a component of the governmental motivation behind nearly all prisons, or perhaps more of a justification for the stringent regulations placed upon the liberties of prisoners, such as physical confinement, structured time, manual labor, etc. It is suggested that these rules are for the good of the prisoners, but while these regulations are convenient for directing prisoners institutionally, the deprivation of liberties and dehumanization could have serious impacts on an individual’s psychological state. The physical and sexual violence most prisoners face from fellow inmates and from guards (Villines, 2013) compounds their punishment on a psychological level. Given that the justice system causes these psychological trauma to inmates, it
There are debates on why qualitative and quantitative can be combined because the two approaches share the goal of understanding the world in which we live Haase & Myers (1980). However, Reichath &Rallis (1994) argued that the two paradigms are incompatible if the qualitative paradigm assumes that there are no external referents for understanding reality. Howe (1988) suggests that researchers should forge ahead with what works. Quantitative research makes no attempt to have personal relationship with the people being studied and to account of their view. The accounts include feelings, beliefs these being concept of feminist work. Feminism holds on to qualitative method because are interested in how ordinary people observe and describe their Silverman (1993).
Furthermore, how the guards and inmates lose their individuality and mostly act out of a group norm which they are put into. It also showed me how little effect the prisoners have on what happens to them during their incarceration. The prisoners in the mock prison recreated in this study gave up responding to the guards because of their unpredictable decisions and sheer random behavior. 4.2. Cecil, D. (2017-03-29).
I claim that prison does not necessarily make people worse. This claim of imprisonment not making people worse can only be justified to a certain extent. Taking consideration of the various and diversified prisons, inmates, crimes committed, contextual situations, not all inmates in prison will support my claim. I assert my claim speaks for a majority of inmates in prisons right now. What societies view on prison is for offenders to serve their sentence of a previously committed crime, and to come back into society a righteous individual.
Traditional research may use quantitative or qualitative research method. According to Hendricks (2009), quantitative research is a general conclusion based on hard data. Hen-dricks describe quantitativ...
Stejskal, S.M. (2010) Quatiative and Qualitative Research Methods are not and should not be Mutually Exclusive, Grinn Verlag.