1. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Crime and Justice Ethnographic Field Research Chapter 12 1

2. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Ethnography Ethnography: A form of research which describes a culture and understanding another way of life from the native point of view. Ethnographic Field Research: A systematic process of gathering data through observation, participation, and interviews in order to describe, understand, and even explain a specific natural setting. 2

3. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Types of Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Knowledge that people are aware of and readily discuss. Tacit Knowledge Knowledge that people rarely acknowledge and may not be explicitly aware of. 3

4. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Thick Description Qualitative data in which a researcher attempts to capture all the details of a social setting in an extremely detailed description and convey an intimate feel for the setting and the inner lives of people in it. See pg. 280: Clifford Geertz Highlight 12.1 4

5. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Key to Ethnography 1. NATUALISM: The principle that the researcher should examine events as they occur in natural, everyday ongoing social setting. 2. REFLEXIVITY: The field research technique that allows the researcher to use her/his own personal reaction to their experience as part of the data and analysis. 5

6. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Steps of Ethnographic Field Research 1.Prepare oneself, read the literature. 2.Select a field site and gain access to it. 3.Enter the field and establish social relations with members. 4.Adopt a social role, learn the ropes, and get along with members. 5.Watch, listen, and collect quality data. 6.Begin to analyze data and to generate and evaluate working hypotheses. 6

7. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Steps of Ethnographic Field Research (cont.) 7.Focus on specific aspects of the setting and use theoretical sampling. 8.Conduct field interviews with member informants. 9.Disengage and physically leave the setting. 10.Complete the analyses and write the research report. 7

8. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Level of Involvement 1. Peripheral Membership Maintaining distance/ setting limits between self and those being studied. 2. Active Membership The researcher assumes a membership role and goes through a similar participation. 3. Complete Membership The researcher converts and goes native, as a fully committed member. Going Native: when a researcher in the field research gets overly involved and loses all distance or objectivity and becomes joined with the people being studied. 8

9. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Access into the Field and Informants Gatekeeper: Anyone who has formal or informal authority to control access to a site. Informant: A key actor with whom an ethnographer develops a relationship gets information. Access Ladder: Field researchers may be able to see and learn about only public, non-controversial events in the beginning, but with time and efforts they can gain entry to more hidden, intimate, and controversial information. 9

10. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Verstehen and Rapport Building Rapport: An important step in gaining the trust of those being researched and essential for developing an in-depth understanding. Verstehen: A central objective of the ethnographic field research that requires a deep empathy with those being studied and their culture. 10

11. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved In Field Relationships Acceptable Incompetent: When a researcher pretends to be less skilled or knowledgeable to learn more about the field. Exchange Relationship: A relationship which small tokens or favors, including deference and respect are exchanged. Appearance Of Interest: When the researcher appears to be interested and involved with field events, even if he or she is not truly interested. 11

12. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Taking Ethnographic Notes 1. Jotted Notes: Written in the field to remember later. 2. Direct Observation Notes: Notes that include all details and specifics in a field site. 3. Inference Notes: Notes that infer meaning to observations. 4. Analytic Memos: Notes that build abstract ideas. 5. Personal Notes: Similar to a personal journal. 6. Maps/Diagrams: Notes to record arrangements, networks, relationships, etc. 7. Machine Recordings: Technology used to help recall and supplement memory. 8. Interview Notes: Notes taken during an interview. 12

13. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Internal and External Consistency Internal Consistency: A way to achieve data reliability in field research in which a researcher examines the plausibility of data to see whether they form a coherent whole, fit all else that is known about a person or event, and avoid common forms of deception. External Consistency: A way to achieve reliability of data in field research in which the researcher cross- checks and verifies qualitative data using multiple sources of information. 13

14. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved 4 Tests of Ethnographic Validity 1. Ecological Validity: Demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness by showing the study’s description of the field reflects its members. 2. Natural History: Demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness by fully disclosing actions and procedures as they occurred. 3. Member Validation: Demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness by having those studied confirm the researcher’s report. 4. Competent Insider Performance: Demonstrating authenticity and trustworthiness by the researcher “passing” as a member of the group. 14

15. Criminal Justice and Criminology Research Methods, Second Edition Kraska / Neuman © 2012 by Pearson Higher Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All Rights Reserved Major Forms of Interviewing 1.Focus Group: A special qualitative research technique in which people are informally interviewed in a group discussion setting. 2. Life History Interview: Open-ended interview with one person who describes his or her entire life. It can be considered a subtype of oral history. 15