ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CRIMINOLOGY STUDENT’S ENROLLED

IN CRIMINALISTICS 103 (FORENSIC BALLISTICS)

AT WESTERN PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY
PUERTO PRINCESA CAMPUS

GACASA, JOMARI C.
NAMUCO JR. ROLLY M.
ZAQUITA, RA

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE

COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WESTERN
PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY PUERTO PRINCESA
CAMPUS, PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, IN
PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIRMENTS FOR
THE DEGREE

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINILOGY

November 2016
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

All students are required to maintain a satisfactory academic record and meet the

obligations of the courses in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so will be dealt with as the

faculty and its designated Boards shall determine. In all cases, midyear grades in full year course

will be considered along with all other grades in the calculation for the minimum

requirements and satisfactory records.

Individual differences in academic performance have been linked to differences in

intelligence and personality. Students with higher mental ability as demonstrated by IQ test and

those who are higher in conscientiousness (linked to effort and achievement motivation) tend to

achieve highly in academic settings.

Children semi-structured home learning environment transitions into a more structured

learning environment when children start first grade. Early academic enhances later academic

achievements.

Parent’s academic socialization is a term describing the way parents influence students’

academic achievement by shaping students’ skills, behaviours and attitudes towards school.

Parents influence students through the environment and discourse parents have with their

children. Academic socialization can be influenced by parents’ socio-economic status. Highly

educated parents tend to have more stimulating learning environments.

 Bachelor of Science in Criminology is one of the courses offered at the Western

Philippines University. One of the major subjects is Criminalistics 103 or Forensic Ballistics.

This branch of ballistics is product of the application of the ballistics to law. The idea comes with

the used of the word Forensic. The word Forensic was derived from the Latin word “forum”

meaning a “market place” where people gathered for public disputation or discussion. When

used in connection on the word ballistics or other natural science, it suggests a relationship to the

courts of justice or legal proceedings.

Forensic Ballistics is defined as the study of the motion of the projectile as applied to law

or simply the science of firearm identification by means of the ammunition fired through them.

In view of these, there is the need to carry out a study with a view to determining the

academic performance of students enrolled in Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics) at Western

Philippines University-Puerto Princesa Campus and to find out the casual relationship of selected

variables with students’ achievement in Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics).

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to determine the academic performance of Criminology students

enrolled in Criminalistics at Western Philippines University Puerto Princesa Campus school year
2014-2016

Specially, it is required to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic characteristics of the respondents in terms of:

a. age;
b. sex;
c. ethnic affiliation;
d. parents occupation;
e. residence; and
f. distance of residence to school?
 2. What are the factors affecting Criminology student’s performance in Criminalistics
103(Forensic Ballistic) in terms of:
a. attitude;
b. teacher;
c. laboratory facilities and equipment;
d. instructional materials;
e. parents’ involvement?
3. What is the academic achievement of Criminology students enrolled in Criminalistics
103(Forensic Ballistics)?
4. Is there a significant relationship between the factors affecting student’s performance in
Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics) and academic performance?
5. Is there a significant difference between the attitude of male and female respondents
towards Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics)?

Significance of the study

The result of the study will be a great help to the College of Criminal Justice Education

and also to the University administrators in gaining information to be added on their

understanding and the need to improve the teaching of Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics)

topic.

It will encourage to the faculty of College of Criminal Justice Education to give their best

efforts and maximize their performance and capabilities for students to understand the

importance of Forensic Ballistics as a subject to Criminology students. This study will provide

ideas in helping them developed their potential and it will help them to handle the orientation of

the educational task, to guide their students improve their relationship with their teachers.

To the future researchers this study will be used as a reference material in conducting

similar or related study.

Finally, the result of this study will provide facts to diagnose difficulties that may be used

by the Criminalistics teachers in improving the standards in the educational institution.

Hypothesis of the study

1. There is no significance relationship between the factors affecting students’ performance

in Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics) and their academic performance.

2. There is no significance reference between the attitude of male and female respondents

towards Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics).

Scope and delimitation of the study

This study will be focus on the academic performance of Criminology students enrolled

in Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistic) in school year 2015-2017 at the College of Criminal

Justice Education at Western Philippines University, Puerto Princesa Campus Puerto Princesa

City.

It will also determine the significant relationship between the student’s academic

performance and the factors affecting their performance in the subject and the difference between

the academic performance of male and female respondents.

The total of ____selected students from third year and fourth year Criminology students

serve as the respondents of the study.

The study was conducted from September to October 2016 at the College of Criminal

Justice Education, Western Philippines University-Puerto Princesa Campus, Puerto Princesa City,

Palawan.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

 This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies that strengthen this

research study, conceptual frameworks, research paradigm and definition terms.

One of the most important aspects of criminal justice is forensic science, or the practice

of scientifically examining physical evidence collected from the scene of a crime or a person of

interest in a crime. Many people consider forensic science the application of science to law

enforcement.

Biggs and Moore, (2008), stated that at the beginning of any course, students start their

study with a set of beliefs about the nature of learning and what they intend to achieve. These

beliefs are derived from earlier school and learning experiences as well as their current goals and

motives.

Clow(2008), an understanding of how students learn can help teachers to devise effective

strategies for teaching. This requires that research into the learning process is made accessible.

To facilitate the development of student’s view of knowledge, students’ need to be supported at

the appreciate level. A student, who strongly believes that there is only correct answer, will find

an exercise, which show a multiplicity of possible inter pretentions confusing and unhelpful.

Criminalistics refers to the search, by various scientific methods, to find proof of guilt or

establish innocence is a valuable aide to criminal investigation. Scientific logic was first applied

to the solution of crime, in a limited degree, during the 19th century. Poisons where separated

and identified by such pioneer chemist as the Frenchman Matthieu Orfilia and the Belgian Jean

Stas. Individuals where identified through the anthropometric systems of Alphonse Bertillon and

through the comparison and classification of Ballistics as develop by the Argertine Juan

Vucetich, the English social scientist for Francis Galton and others. (Agas 2009)
Uses of Forensic Ballistics

According to Ted Koehl (2014) Ballistics is used in Forensic Science or Criminalistics

commonly refers as the study and effects of projectiles from firearms. Typically a firearm

cartridge consists of the cartridge case, the primer, the propellant, and the projectile (bullet).

Examination can yield marks from the firearm’s breach, ejection, extractor, and firing pin on the

cartridge case, Propellant examinations may yield chemical analysis. Bullet examinations may

indicate caliber, type of firearm used, and individual characteristics such as lands and grooves or

rifling or other marks. There may be other trace evidence on the bullet such as clothing fabric or

DNA or fingerprints on the cartridge case. Additionally, examination of probable trajectory could

possibly prove or disprove an alibi. Similar study could show location or origin of where the

cartridge was fired.

Ballistics studies can be made with any type of thrown or mechanically or chemically

fired projectiles ranging from a slingshot to an artillery shell.

Attitude
 A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is

reflected in a person's behaviour.

Attitude is a concept, which arises from the attempt to account for the observed

regularities in the behaviour of an individual persons’, the quality of which is judged from the

observed evaluate responses one tends to make.

Parental involvement in students’ academic achievement

Parent involvement in a child's early education is consistently found to be positively

associated with a child's academic performance (Hara & Burke, 1998; Hill & Craft, 2003;

Marcon, 1999; Stevenson & Baker, 1987). Specifically, children whose parents are more

involved in their education have higher levels of academic performance than children whose

parents are involved to a lesser degree.

The influence of parent involvement on academic success has not only been noted among

researchers, but also among policy makers who have integrated efforts aimed at increasing parent

involvement into broader educational policy initiatives. Coupled with these findings of the

importance of early academic success, a child's academic success has been found to be relatively

stable after early elementary school (Entwisle & Hayduk, 1988; Pedersen, Faucher, & Eaton,

1978). Therefore, it is important to examine factors that contribute to early academic success and

that are amenable to change.

Support - Parents become more concerned about the learning opportunities that secondary

schools provide. As children move from the middle grades to the secondary school, parents also
crystallize their educational expectations for their children. As students complete school

education, parents become increasingly concerned about their teen’s further education and about

the effects of secondary school programs on postsecondary opportunities (Catsambis & Garland,

1997).

Participation - While parent involvement has been found to be related to increased academic

performance, the specific mechanisms through which parent involvement exerts its influence on

a child's academic performance are not yet fully understood (Hill & Craft, 2003).

Control - In home settings, the learning processes occur explicitly or consciously, often in an

informal way. Parents teach and train children early in their lives, the fundamental skills,

attitudes and values necessary for day-to-day living (UNESCO, 1992).

Conceptual Framework
 This study deals with the academic performance of criminology student’s in

Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics) at Western Philippines University Puerto Princesa

Campus.

The independent variables for this study are the demographic characteristics of the

respondents in terms of age, sex, ethnic affiliation, parent’s occupation, residence or distance of

residence to school while the intervening variable are the factors which affect the student’s

performance in Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics) in terms of attitude, teachers, laboratory,

facilities and instrumental materials and parents involvement .Finally the dependent variable is

the academic performance of the student’s in Criminalistics 103.

Research Paradigm of the study

Independent Variable Intervening Variable Dependent Variable

Demographic characteristics Factors affecting to the Academic performance in

of the respondents in terms students in the subject Forensic Ballistics
of; enrolled in Criminalistics 103
(Forensic Ballistics) in terms:

a. attitude;
a. age; b. teachers;
b. sex; a. Post-test
c. laboratory;
c. ethnic affiliation; b. Final grade
d. facilities;
d. residence; and e. instrumental
e. distance of residence
materials; and
to the school
f. parents’ involvement

Figure1.The conceptual paradigm of the study showing the relationship of the variable

Definition of terms
 The following terms are operationally defined for better understanding and how they

were used in the study.

Academic performance-it refers to the outcome of education or the extent to which a student,

teacher or institution has achieved its educational goals.

Age-it refers to the length of the time the respondents has lived or existed.

Attitude-this terms’ refers to concept which origins from the attempt to account for the observed

regularities and the behaviour of the individual person.

Ballistics-is the science of the motion of the projectile and the condition that affects their motion.

Ballistics was derived from two Greek words. The word “Ballo” and the word “Ballein”

which literally mean “to throw”

Civil status-it refers to the current civil affiliation of the respondent.

Criminalistics-it refers to the search, by various scientific methods to find proof of guilt or to

established innocence which is on invaluable aid to criminal investigation.

Demographic profile-it refers to the studies of population based on factors such as age, sex,

civil status, ethnic affiliation, religions and year level.

Ethnic affiliation-this refers to the associated with or belonging to a particular race or group of

people who have a culture different from the main culture of the country.

Factor-it refers to the one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation.
Laboratory-it refers to the facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or

technological research, experiments and measurement may be performed.

Locale of the study-it refers to the specific place where this study was conducted.

Motion-refers to the mobility or movement of the projectile

Perception-this refers to the ability to understand or notice something easily the way you think

understand someone or something.

Post-test- it refers to a test given after lesson or a period of instruction to determined what

students have learned.

Pre-test-it refers to a preliminary test administered to determine a student’s baseline knowledge

or preparedness for an educational experience or course study.

Respondent-this refers to the person who gives a response or answer to a question that is asked

especially as a part of survey.

Science-is a systematized body of knowledge which has been observed tested and proven.

Sex-it refers to the gender of respondents either male or female.

Year level-it refers to the year of the respondents.

 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists’ the discussion of research design used, the respondents in the study,

the research locale, sampling procedure, instrumentations, data collection procedure and

procedure for data analysis.

Locale of the Study

College of Criminal Justice Education (CCJE) is the college that handled the BS-

Criminology program in the said University. CCJE today is under the administration of Sir.

Francisco R. Reblando the Dean of CCJE, manned by 10 highly competent instructor ant it has

700 Criminology students as of school year 2016-2017.

Criminology program of CCJE has already awarded of Level 1 Accreditation by

Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and University in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc.

last October 16, 2012 to October 12, 2015.

Last September 7-12, 2015 AACCUP Accreditors visited College of Criminal Justice

Education (CCJE) for level II. College of Criminal Justice Education (CCJE) of Western

Philippines University is still improving their performance as much as possible until today to

achieve their goal to the near future.

Map
Research Design

The descriptive design, specifically the survey method was use in this study.

This design was ideal for describing the academic performance of students enrolled in

Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics) at Western Philippines University Puerto Princesa

Campus. This study focused only on the academic performance of the students enrolled in

Criminalistics 103 (Forensic Ballistics) from School Year 2015-2016.

Respondents of the study

The total of 700 Criminology students who enrolled in Criminalistics 103 (Forensic

Ballistics) at Western Philippines University Puerto Princesa Campus from the School Year

2015-2016. Out of these, only ___ were considered as the respondents: __ from third year and

___ from fourth year with the help of Slovin’s formula.

Sampling Procedure

The respondents of the study were selected from the total number of Criminology

students from School Year 2015-2016, enrolled at Western Philippines University Puerto

Princesa Campus. They were selected by means of Stratified Random Sampling technique; the

total of the students per year level was determined using Sovin’s formula.

Slovin’s formula: n=N/ (1+Ne2)

n=Number of Samples

N=Total Population

e=Error Tolerance (0.05)

Instrumentation

The researchers used survey questionnaire as a tool to gather the needed information. The

questionnaire was composed of two parts: the first part dealt with the demographic profile of the

respondent in terms of age, sex, ethnic affiliation, religion, net monthly allowance, parents’

occupation, residence and distance of residence to school. The second part dealt with the

academic Performance of the Criminology students enrolled in Criminalistics 103 (Forensic

Ballistics).

Data Collection Procedure

The researcher presented a request letter to the Department Chairman and the Dean of the

College of Criminal Justice Education of WPU-PPC, asking permission to conduct the study.

Upon approval, the researchers administered the questionnaires to the respondents personally and

give thorough explanation for more clarification. The respondents gave sufficient time to answer

the questionnaires. The data gathered were secured and tallied by the researchers for

interpretation.
Procedure for Data Analysis

All pertinent data gathered after the conduct of the study were given statistical treatment.

Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentage, weighted mean, t-test and Person

Product Moment Correlation were used in this study.

To measure the perception of the respondents, a 5-point rating scale was used as follows:

Numerical Rating Descriptive Rating

5 - Strongly Agree
4 - Agree
3 - Undecided
2 - Disagree
1 - Strongly Disagree
To interpret the statistical results and perception level of students enrolled in
Criminalistics 103 particularly Forensic Ballistics, the following range level was used:
Interval Descriptive Rating

4.50-5.00 - Very High

3.50-4.49 - High
2.50-3.49 - Fair
1.50-2.49 -Low
1.00-1.49 -Very Low
To analyze the significant relationship between the factors affecting student performance
in Criminalistics 103(Forensic Ballistics) and academic performance, a Person Product Moment
Correlation was used. However, to analyze significant difference between the attitudes of the
male and female respondents towards Criminalistics particularly Forensic Ballistics a t-test was
used.