CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH

By:
MR. ALBERT V. VALERIO

Introduction

Research is basic and is paramount important in any development at all times. Because
of this, public and private organizations are too concerned in assessing how they perform in
research.
Understandably, students will have initial difficulty in research conceptualization and in
every stage of the research process due to lack of information and the apprehension of most
people in conducting research.
Most practitioners and students in the field of criminal justice and criminology approach
the course in criminological research with the enthusiasm of a recalcitrant patient in a dentist's
chair. Even if the initial experience is not painful, most certainly, it is not anticipated to be
exciting or interesting. Being primarily oriented or pragmatically oriented, practitioners and
students at best expect to mildly tolerate an experience that seems quite remote from the real
world and practical everyday problems in criminology and criminal justice.

RESEARCH BASICS

Research

The word research is derived from the prefix “re” which means repeat or redo, and the
root word search, which means to find or look. From the etymology of this word, research
literally means to repeatedly look for something which had been in existence before.
In other words, when there are unanswered questions in mind, and one would like to
search for possible solutions, conducting research is a very good alternative.
However, with various authors offering their definition of what research is, we can
summarize that Research is a scientific investigation of phenomena which includes collection,
presentation, analysis and interpretation of facts that links man’s speculation with reality.
It is the system or process of orderly, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of a
hypothetical proposition about the presumed relations among natural phenomena.
It is the systematic search for relevant data on a specific issue, theory or phenomena.
After a careful, organized search for relevant data on an identified topic or problem and
after the researcher worker has analyzed and interpreted data, he then faces the task of
preparing the research report.
It is essential to development. Development and improvement are impossible without
research in this world as people believe and also rely on the analysis made by somebody else.
 In government, education and commerce research is vital and essential. Thus, the
methods and techniques must be taught and learned in all educational institutions for purposes
of knowledge and advancement.

Criminological Research

It is defined as a careful, systematic study of knowledge in the field of criminal justice,

undertaken to discover or establish facts of crimes or causations of crime. It is also defined as
a systematic process of collecting and analysing crime and victim data to give a solution to a
problem or a solution to the criminological or victimizations problems and to validate or test
the existing criminological and victimization theories. (Soriano, 2017).

Why study Criminological Research

Criminological research provides the tool necessary to approach issues in criminology

and criminal justice from a more severe standpoint and enable a scheme beyond opinions
based solely on non-scientific observations and experiences/ much of what appears in
criminological research is, of course, not unique to criminology and criminal justice, but is, in
fact, borrowed from other social sciences and applied to criminological research. The
techniques applicable to a wide variety of areas are in a sense, excellent broad-based skills.
(Soriano, 2017)

The Need for Research

Research is sometimes thought to be concerned only with the physical phenomena that
man cannot do away with these things because the physical phenomena have domain properly
emphasized on material causes and effects. It is true the material factors are the bases which
affect man’s life because men are more materialistic and idealistic. However, man has to
balance his spiritual and material gifts. If spiritual and material services should go hand in hand,
research can be smoothly conducted.
Before research can be conducted, it must be understood. But before one can
understand, one must learn, must love to work with enthusiasm. If man understands, learns,
loves to work with interest and does research, progress becomes possible because research is a
contributing factor of progress. It moves such progress towards goals. Sometimes crises occur
in conducting research, and one may have to sacrifice and face the difficulties because success
in research is sweet if spiced with sacrifice.
Man’s major needs and problems which demand research include how to reduce his
burden of work, how to relieve suffering, and how to increase satisfaction in fulfilling his needs,
cravings, and aspirations. For instance, man suffers in communicating with his friends and
relatives here and abroad. To solve the this need and problem, an investigator conducts
research on modern communication such as cellular phones, internet, fax machines,
telephones, and many others for easy communication and even make instant communication
over long distance.
Other examples of man’s needs and problems where products of research are born are
as follows:
1. A century ago, rural folks merely used coconut oil to lighten their houses until
electricity was invented and used to provide light and other conveniences.
2. Before, only typewriters and mimeographing machines were used as duplicating
facilities, but now new improved duplicating facilities were invented like copier machines,
printers, scanners, and many others.
3. Five decades ago, businessmen, engineers, accountants, and many others found
difficulty in computing so cellular phones, computers, calculators, aiding machines and many
others were invented to solve this need and problem.
4. Four decades ago, people found difficulty in hand washing their clothes’, thus,
washing machine was born to solve this need and problem.
5. Five decades ago, found difficulty in cooking rice and heating the left-over. Hence, rice
cooker and microwave oven were invented to provide for this need and problem.
6. Elevators and escalators are products of research due to man’s difficulty in going to
different floors of the building.
7. During leisure time, man finds difficulty in singing because he cannot memorize the
lyrics, and now video, karaoke and many others are invented to provide for this need.
8. Airplanes, ships, buses, jeepneys, automobiles, vans and many others are products of
research for easy transportation.
9. Refrigerators and freezers are products of research to keep food for longer period of
time and minimize effort in going to the supermarket every day.
10. In Metro Manila, Philippines, employees, teachers, students, businessmen and many
others find difficulty in commuting everyday due to heavy traffic, hence, fly over and LRT (Light
rail Transit) were constructed to ease the problem.

Values of Research

Research is of great value to man. Through research, the quality of man’s life has
improved from conventional to modern, hence, life becomes not only meaningful but enriching
as well. Therefore, man must be a dreamer and ambitious, but he must be industrious to
achieve his dreams. Due to being a dreamer, ambitious and industrious, the values of research
to man are as follows:
1. Research improves quality of life. Research has led man to search for ways to
improve his life. It has led him to focus on improving processes and means, which he must love
and find interesting.
2. Research improves instruction. Research has no beginning and no end. It is a never-
ending task. Educators, policy makers, and educational researchers continue to conduct
research to improve instruction. Studies on the different methods, strategies, and approaches
in teaching various subject areas, grade and year levels have been conducted to determine
which method, strategy, or approach is best and most effective in teaching. Several innovations
have been introduced to improve instruction. Conventional or traditional teaching is no longer
practiced and only the modern ones are applied. A modern teacher is expected to possess the
following qualities – Model, Obedient, Dedicated, Efficient, Research-oriented, Noble, Talented,
Effective, Active, Creative, Honest, Economical, and Resourceful. These qualities can be
shortened by the acronym MODERN TEACHER.
Through research, instruction has improved because the modern teacher introduces
innovations and integrates the 3Rs (rational thinking, right conduct, and research) in all subject
areas in his teaching.
3. Research improves students’ achievement. The students’ achievement could be
improved if the modern teacher keeps himself updated on issues and trends about the modern
methods and strategies in teaching by reading related researches or conducting his own
research. By so doing, students’ achievement in licensure board examination is high.
4. Research improves teacher’s competence. There’s a saying “Many are called but only
few are chosen.” In other words, many are called as teachers, but only few are chosen as
competent teachers. They are qualified as teachers because they are licensed as “professional
teacher,” but not competent due to lack of improvement in his teaching at all. He reports to
classes for compliance, but his ten years of experience in teaching is equivalent to one year
only, yet repeated for nine years.
5. Research satisfies man’s needs. In the 19th century, the needs of man were not as
fully satisfied as they are today. Man suffered from the conventional ways of living. For
instance, there were no airplanes, no vehicle facilities, no electrification, no communication
facilities, no kitchen facilities, no movie houses and many others. Due to advancement in
science and technology, man’s conventional ways have changed from traditional to modern
ways. Airplanes and vehicles were invented to satisfy man’s needs to travel other places;
electrification has been discovered to satisfy man’s needs because almost all equipment is run
by electricity, like light, ventilation, air-conditioning equipment, computer, rice cooker, oven,
television, escalator, elevator, karaoke, cassette, and many others. If man wants a heat
mechanical device during winter, heater equipment is available. If one wants cool mechanical
device during summer, air-conditioning equipment is available. If he wants to see and talk to his
relatives and friends abroad, web camera is available. If he wants to know current happenings
here and abroad, television is available. These modern facilities that satisfy man’s needs are all
products of research.
6. Research reduces the burden of work. Modern devices and equipment such as
cellular phones, web cameras, computers, copier machines, washing machines, cooking
equipment, freezers, refrigerators, gas ranges and many others are some of the products of
research that reduce man’s burden of work.
7. Research has deep-seated psychological aspects. Research stimulates and ennobles
the human spirit. It challenges man to get rid of the danger of stagnation. It is an open door to a
better tomorrow and it guides him in his efforts to obtain good results which contribute to his
satisfaction and self-fulfillment.
8. Research improves the exportation of food products. Through research, importation
of food products has improved. The Philippine products being exported are mangoes, bananas,
canned pineapples, canned crab meat, frozen yellow-fin tuna, frozen boneless milkfish, frozen
headless shrimp and prawn, frozen tilapia fillet, frozen nemipterid fillet, frozen crevalle fillet,
frozen whiting fillet, and many others.
Some of the international research agencies that help provide the support for
researches in the Philippines are IRRI (International Rice Research Institute), JICA (Japanese
International Cooperation Agency), KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency), IFS
(International Foundation for Science), and ACIAR (Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research).
With the continuing increase of population and because rice and fish remain the staple
food for Filipinos, the Philippines must combine scientific programs of rice and fish production
with a program on responsible parenthood so that parents will only produce children whom
they can afford to properly nourish and educate.
If more Filipinos become capable of conducting research in agriculture and aquaculture,
the exportation of food products may be increased.
9. Research responds to the economic recovery and austerity measure of the country.
The Philippines is in the period of economic crisis. Prices of commodities keep on increasing and
peso devaluation continues. If all Filipinos are research-oriented, these problems may be
solved. Priorities of researches to be funded by research agencies like the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department
of Education (DepEd) and many others have return of investment (ROI) so that the research
budget will not be exhausted. Experimental researches must be given priority when it comes to
research grants. To train the researchers to conduct research with ROI and hold in abeyance on
descriptive research since the Philippines is in the period of economic recovery and austerity
measure.
Research outputs must also be converted into income generating projects to train
students to earn while they learn. If all researches with ROI are given priority by the
government, research responds to the economic recovery and austerity measure of the
country.
10. Research trains graduates to become responsive to the economic development of
the country and compete globally. Curricular offerings in the Philippines must focus on
experimental research and entrepreneurship. Training and retraining of teachers in conducting
experimental research with entrepreneurship of research outputs should be done so that they
can deliver the goods and services to the students effectively, efficiently, and excellently.
There are four mandated functions of SUCs (State Universities and Colleges) and private
schools as well, namely: Instruction, Research, Extension and Production. Of the four functions,
100 percent of the instructors and professors perform Instruction, but Research is the weakest
link among the four functions. This is due to lack training and retraining of faculty members in
research with entrepreneurship on research output, they can deliver goods and services to the
students effectively, efficiently, and excellently, thus, graduates can compete globally and
respond to the economic development of the country.
It has been observed that researched-oriented countries are progressive and
economically secured countries.

Research Characteristics

There are six (6) research characteristics, namely: (1) empirical, (2) logical, (3) cyclical,
(4) analytical, (5) replicability and (6) critical.

1. Empirical. Research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.

The collection of data relies on practical experience without benefit of the scientific
knowledge or theory.

2. Logical. Research is based on valid procedures and principles. Scientific

investigation is done in an orderly manner so that the researcher has confidence on
the results. Logical examination of the procedures used in the research enables the
researcher to draw valid conclusions. Thus, the logic of valid research makes it
important for decision making.

3. Cyclical. Research is a cyclical process. It starts with a problem and ends with a
problem. For instance, a researcher who completes his study states his findings and
draws up his conclusions and recommendations. In his recommendations, many
problems may crop up as other subjects for study hence, the cycle is repeated.

4. Analytical. Research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering the data,

whether historical descriptive, experimental, or case study. In historical research,
the data gathered focus on the past; in descriptive research, the study focuses on
the present situation; experimental, future; and in case study, past, present, and
future.

5. Replicability. The research designs and procedures are replicated to enable the
researcher to arrive at valid and conclusive results. Similarities and differences of
replicated researches can be compared. The more replications of researches, the
more valid and conclusive the results would be.

6. Critical. Research exhibits careful and precise judgment. A higher level of

confidence must be established, i.e., at 1.0 percent or 5.0 percent level of
 confidence. Based on these levels of confidence, the researcher is confidently
precise in his interpretations on whether the results are significant or insignificant,
or whether to reject or accept the hypotheses.

Other Characteristics

1. Research employs quantitative or statistical method.

2. Research is an original work.
3. Research is an accurate investigation
4. Research is patient and unhurried activity to ensure accuracy.
5. Research requires an effort-making capacity
6. Research requires courage.

Qualities of the Researcher

There are ten (10) qualities of the researcher whose first letters form the acronym,
RESEARCHER, as follows: R for research-oriented; E, efficient; S, scientific; E, effective; A, active;
R, resourceful; C, creative; H, honest; E, economical; and R, religious.
A researcher who possesses the foregoing qualities is the kind of investigator the
government needs because he can respond to the economic recovery of the country.

Characteristics of the Researcher

There are four (4) characteristics of a researcher, namely: (1) intellectual curiosity, (2)
prudence, (3) healthy criticisms, and (4) intellectual honesty.

1. Intellectual curiosity. A researcher undertakes reflective thinking and inquiry of the

things, situations and problems around him. He is eager to get information on these often due
to novelty and unusualness. He raises questions to seek answer, continues to read related
literature, makes use of his experiences, and For instance, the hypothesis is – “There is no
significant difference in the effectiveness of teaching Physics in modern and traditional
methods.” If the result shows a significant difference on the effectiveness of teaching Physics in
mexercises his creativeness and inventiveness. When the problem he confronts becomes clear,
he formulates and tests hypotheses on them. The hypotheses may be rejected or accepted,
depending on his analysis of data and information he gathers.
odern and traditional methods, the hypothesis is rejected. Likewise, if an insignificant
difference exists, the hypothesis is accepted.
2. Prudence. There’s a saying that “Intellectual curiosity ends when prudence begins.”
Once the investigator has chosen wisely his research problem, his intellectual curiosity ends.
 3. Healthy criticism. The investigator is always doubtful as to the veracity of the results.
Normally, the researcher always doubts the truthfulness of his findings even if the data are
gathered honestly.
4. Intellectual honesty. An intelligent researcher is honest in collecting or gathering the
data or facts in order to arrive at honest results. Honesty is the best policy for an intelligent
investigator because the success or failure of his research lies on his hand.