Criminal justice research involves the techniques used in identifying and catching unlawful people and to deliver justice to them. It also includes research on techniques used in the rehabilitation of criminals, reducing the probability of other crimes from happening, and offering moral support to the victims. This paper discusses the three philosophical approaches to Criminal Justice Research and their purpose.
The three Philosophical Approaches to Criminal Justice
The three philosophical approaches to criminal justice include; positivist social science, interpretive social science, and critical social science.
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Positivist Social Science
Positivist social science philosophy suggests that fixed laws compel and shape the behavior of individuals in several societies, providing the basis for comparing the social events to other similar events in different societies. According to Dessler (1999), criminal justice researchers who use the positivist social science philosophy acknowledge the existence of an objective reality other than the perceptions of those observing it. Dessler (1999) further points out that this reality presents itself in the same manner to the same individual at different points in space and time, hence, providing a foundation for comparing those events and giving a decision in criminal justice. Dessler (1999) also states that positivist social science is associated with the expectations of universal laws of human behaviors and the conviction that scientists should be unbiased and objective to see the reality. Research on positivism social science battles ignorance, dogmatism, and superstition to promote an understanding of dignity, freedom, human rights, and values.
Interpretive Social Science
Interpretive social science provides techniques and methods that focus on the meanings of different events and behaviors such as intentions, cognition, and effect on the individuals involved. Chan (2016), states that interpretive social science makes use of interview techniques that extract profound and deep responses on the basis of the events of study within the social contexts of the participants. Under interpretive social science, researchers are supposed to test theories continually as they look for several ways of analyzing and interpreting the gathered data. Chan (2016) then suggests that the theories; however, should not limit any new ideas that may develop during the analysis. Researchers should be skilled and experienced to shape the design, interpretation, and implementation of the entire research. This philosophical approach on interpretive social science is useful in understanding the meaning of criminal acts and discovering new criminal implications.
Critical Social Science
Critical social science research often discusses complicated criminal issues as ideological problems. Critical social scientists suggest that a unique way of life may have clear contradictions due to the beliefs and self-understanding of individuals in the social context. For instance, one may choose to deny injustice or ignore a problem for fear of losing status, income, or their lives. The critical social science is also concerned with familiar injustices and evils with new domination and corruption forms that are peculiar to the modern technological society. During research using the critical social science perspective, the genesis of the crime is frequently examined in conjunction with the nature of justice relating status inequalities and class of the victims within the social framework. This philosophy views crime as a result of abuse of workers specifically those that are poor, minority groups, and less-advantaged within the society. Critical social science is important to researchers as it helps in giving justice to offenders who take advantage of the poor, less-advantaged and the minority groups to perform various criminal acts.
Conclusion
Criminal justice research can use philosophical approaches whose purpose is inclined to delivering justice to criminals. These approaches include the critical social science, interpretive social science, and positivist social science. Researchers can make use of these approaches to develop ideas and thoughts to why and how criminal activities are performed and reduce the possibility of another similar event from happening.
References
Chan, H. S. (2016). Theory building: the debate between modernist and interpretive social science in the pursuit of democratic governance. Asian Journal of Political Science , 24 (3), 358–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/02185377.2016.1231072
Dessler, D. (1999). Constructivism within a Positivist Social Science. Review of International Studies , 25 (1), 123. Retrieved from http://165.193.178.96/login?url=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26db%3dedsjsr%26AN%3dedsjsr.20097579%26site%3deds-live
