Criminal Justice

Discuss
1- why ethical guidelines are important in research. Additionally,
2- suggest some unique ethical challenges that research may face in the field of criminology or criminal justice.

ANSWER

Ethics in Research

Importance of Ethical Guidelines in Research

Ethical guidelines are considered moral principles that guide researchers while conducting the research and ensure that they report the research deprived of purpose or dishonesty to damage the participants or the affiliates of the community (Banks et al., 2013). It is vital for a researcher to follow guidelines that are laid down by the authority before conducting research. There are numerous explanations why it is significant to adhere to ethical norms in research. Ethical guidelines endorse the aims of the research such as boosting awareness. They also support the values needed for collaborative work such as fairness and mutual respect. Ethical guidelines have also supported important moral values such as preventing harm to others.

Following ethical guiding principles, while reporting and conducting research is crucial in instituting the reliability and rationality of the study. One has to keep an eye on ethical guidelines by the governing boards to facilitate the well-being of the contributors and of the researcher. Additionally, ethical guidelines will also guarantee that the research is error-free and authentic as well as allow one to gain support and credibility from the public (Sieber and Tolich, 2012). For instance, while conducting research, one has to adhere to ethical guidelines while presenting findings. The researcher is required to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of the participants. The researchers have also to ensure maintain a trustworthy relationship with respondents.

Ethical challenges Faced by Researchers in the Field of Criminology

Criminological researchers face ethical challenges that range from plagiarism, questions concerning the fabrication of data and confidentiality to deceptions and subject rights. Ethical challenges in criminal justice research include exposure which may lead to negative personal consequences and the use of human subjects in research (Bachman and Schutt, 2013). For instance, the use of human subjects has become prevalent in criminal justice research thus leading to potential dangers due to the influence of participants. The role of informed consent has been emphasized in criminal justice research since it greatly impacts research.

References

Bachman, R., & Schutt, R. K. (2013). The practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. Sage.

Banks, S., Armstrong, A., Carter, K., Graham, H., Hayward, P., Henry, A., … & Strachan, A. (2013). Everyday ethics in community-based participatory research. Contemporary Social Science, 8(3), 263-277.

Sieber, J. E., & Tolich, M. B. (2012). Planning ethically responsible research (Vol. 31). Sage Publications.