A Critical Evaluation of two Research Methods, Qualitative and Quantitative

Essay by cpatonUniversity, Bachelor'sB-, October 2009

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Qualitative Article:A Women's Place is in the Home: Females and Residential BurglaryThis article uses a qualitative research method. Qualitative research involves analyzing and interpreting texts and interviews in order to discover meaningful patterns descriptive of a particular phenomenon (Adler & Clarke, 2008, p.13.). The method has been adopted to investigate the research question. The research question is; what involvement do women have in residential burglaries. This research question is analysed by comparing female characteristics with their male counterparts and, through primary investigation, into the roles female burglars play during offences.

The article contains two literature reviews summarising previous studies relating to the research question (Adler & Clarke, 2008, p. 85). The first study was by Ward, Jackson, and Ward. This study examined police, court and prison records of 80 female inmates serving time for burglary. During this study, it was found; women played one of four roles in burglary offences.

The four roles are;•Conspirator, who helps set up the crimes (not taking part)•An Accomplice, who takes orders and does what she was told during the offence•A partner, who operated on a equal footing with other offenders involved in the burglary•A sole perpetrator, who carried out the burglaries herself.

Ward, Jackson and Ward also concluded that majority, 56% to be exact, of the females committed their offence with other people.

The second study was by Simon and Sharma. This study employed Prosecutor Management Information Systems data to explore women's involvement in a variety of crimes, including burglary. Conclusion's from the study support that women do not commit crimes under the control of men, and 70% of female arrests where by females acting alone. An ethnographic study by Cromwell, Olsen, and Avary was also mentioned. But, due to sample size limits it was seen as conclusive.

The two literature views first...