1 CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH ETHICS ETHICS: “The study of right and wrong conduct” (Dooley, 2001) “… from the Greek word ethos, meaning ‘custom.’ … refers to the general beliefs, attitudes, and standards that guide customary behavior.” (DesJardins, 2000)

2 CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH ETHICS ETHICAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH: A THREE-LEGGED STOOL 1. Identify intellectual and social contributions of a research study 2. Protect the rights of human subjects 3. Ensure ethical researcher conduct

3 IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ETHICAL RESEARCH SKILLS 1.Focus & Impact of Criminal Justice Research Implementation & Effectiveness of Laws, Policies, Programs, Law Enforcement Tactics Implementation & Effectiveness of Laws, Policies, Programs, Law Enforcement Tactics Multiple Populations Impacted: Offenders, Potential Offenders, CJ Practitioners, General Public Multiple Populations Impacted: Offenders, Potential Offenders, CJ Practitioners, General Public

4 IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ETHICAL RESEARCH SKILLS 2.Vulnerable Populations Involved in Criminal Justice Research Incarcerated Offenders Incarcerated Offenders Juveniles Juveniles Mentally Ill Mentally Ill

5 IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ETHICAL RESEARCH SKILLS 3.Sensitive Data & Confidentiality Criminal History Information Criminal History Information Current Offending Patterns Current Offending Patterns Gang Involvement Gang Involvement Substance Abuse Habits Substance Abuse Habits Recollection of Emotionally Disturbing Experiences Recollection of Emotionally Disturbing Experiences

6 HISTORY Nuremberg Code Nuremberg Code Fruitful results Fruitful results Voluntary Consent Voluntary Consent No unnecessary physical or mental harm No unnecessary physical or mental harm Freedom to stop participation Freedom to stop participation Professional Association Guidelines Professional Association Guidelines ASC, WSC, ASA, APA ASC, WSC, ASA, APA Tuskegee Syphilis Study Tuskegee Syphilis Study Macon County, Alabama, 1929 Macon County, Alabama, 1929 U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services guidelines for human subject research, 1981 U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services guidelines for human subject research, 1981 Institutional Review Boards (IRB) Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

7 Institutional Review Boards Composed of researchers’ colleagues & members of community Composed of researchers’ colleagues & members of community Prisoner / Offender rep. for CJ research Prisoner / Offender rep. for CJ research Required in institutions that receive federal research funds Required in institutions that receive federal research funds Universities, hospitals, RAND Corp., state agencies Universities, hospitals, RAND Corp., state agencies All research involving human subjects must be approved PRIOR to start of study All research involving human subjects must be approved PRIOR to start of study

8 Protecting Human Subjects & Proper Researcher Conduct Protecting Human Subjects Protecting Human Subjects Potential Problems: Potential Problems: Physical / Psychological Harm Physical / Psychological Harm Damage to Reputation Damage to Reputation Lack of Confidentiality Lack of Confidentiality Loss of Privacy, Retaliation Loss of Privacy, Retaliation Expense & Inconvenience Expense & Inconvenience

9 Protecting Human Subjects & Proper Researcher Conduct Protecting Human Subjects Protecting Human Subjects Protections: Protections: INFORMED CONSENT INFORMED CONSENT Voluntary written consent to participate Voluntary written consent to participate Confidentiality / Anonymity of Records Confidentiality / Anonymity of Records Maintenance of Privacy Maintenance of Privacy IRB Approval IRB Approval

10 Protecting Human Subjects & Proper Researcher Conduct Protecting Human Subjects Protecting Human Subjects Rights of Research Participants: Rights of Research Participants: Informed Consent Informed Consent Protection from psychological or physical harm Protection from psychological or physical harm Freedom to stop participation at ANY time Freedom to stop participation at ANY time Confidentiality Confidentiality Debriefing Debriefing Expectation of meaningful research results Expectation of meaningful research results

11 Protecting Human Subjects & Proper Researcher Conduct Proper Researcher Conduct Proper Researcher Conduct Potential Problems: Potential Problems: Harm to subjects Harm to subjects Plagiarism Plagiarism Fraud Fraud Waste Waste Private v. Public Interest Private v. Public Interest

12 Protecting Human Subjects & Proper Researcher Conduct Proper Researcher Conduct Proper Researcher Conduct Enforcement & Sanctioning Enforcement & Sanctioning Professional Associations Professional Associations Deny publication, Issue public reprimand, Cancel membership Deny publication, Issue public reprimand, Cancel membership Government Government Withhold funds (individual or institution) Withhold funds (individual or institution) Rarely… Impose fines, Bring criminal charges Rarely… Impose fines, Bring criminal charges Research Subjects Research Subjects Complain to IRB / Association, Civil Complaint Complain to IRB / Association, Civil Complaint Public Media Public Media Expose Story Expose Story