Deck 2: Section 1: Ethics and Criminal Justice Research

Question 1

Which of the following is a purpose of institutional review boards?

A) to evaluate safeguards to protect the welfare of human subjects
B) to make sure that the data analysis is appropriate and is correctly performed
C) to determine whether tenure recommendations should be made based on research
D) to make sure that researchers have enough money for travel

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which example would create an ethical dilemma when doing applied research that is evaluative in nature?

A) In an attempt to measure the success of a prison pre-release program, the researchers measure re-arrests and re-convictions and determine the programs to be failures.
B) Program staff of a pre-trial diversion program visit the homes of those awaiting trial on a nightly basis to make sure that they adhere to a curfew.
C) Upon review of a juvenile probation department, researchers found that contact sheets, which are designed to keep track of both phone and personal interactions between the officer and the juvenile, in one probation officer's files were all dated June 15^th.
D) To measure the success of an adult drug treatment facility, researchers offered both the clients and the treatment staff confidentiality.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When assessing the potential for harm, the researcher should _____.

A) proceed only when they are confident that no harm will result
B) proceed only when the harm potential is psychological and not physical
C) never proceed when harm is more than minimally possible
D) proceed when the potential benefit outweighs the potential harm

Answer 3

D

Question 4

One of the most important issues addressed by institutional review boards relates to _____.

A) voluntariness of participation
B) the adequacy of the experimental design
C) whether funding was received from an appropriate source
D) the qualifications of the researcher

Question 5

As a rule, possible harm to subjects may be justified when the potential benefits of the study outweigh the possible harm.

Question 6

The benefits and burdens of participating in research should be distributed fairly.

Question 7

Participation as a research subject must always be voluntary.

Question 8

Harm to research subjects may be justified if the potential benefits of the study outweigh the harm.

Question 9

Which example illustrates a research study in which there was potential harm to the researcher?

A) Bruce Johnson and associates' research on violence
B) John Monahan's study of heroin users in New York, where participants were gathered by word of mouth among addicts
C) Reuter, MacCoun, and Murphy's study using probation records to identify drug dealers
D) Reuter and associates study of drug addicts

Question 10

Ethical considerations in research are typically quite evident.

Question 11

Which technique works well when interviewing subjects about topics that may be emotionally or psychologically challenging?

A) having the researcher ask questions from behind a curtain
B) asking the subject to respond to questions on a laptop computer
C) putting the researcher in a disguise so that the subject does not know their identity
D) putting the subject in a disguise so that they cannot be identified

Question 12

When conducting field or survey interviews, ____.

A) names and addresses should remain on data-collection forms until the research has been published
B) each interviewer should have a copy of the master identification file linking numbers to names
C) only anonymous data collection is considered permissible
D) only legitimate researchers should have access to the master file

Question 13

Individuals must be allowed to make their own decisions about participation in research.

Question 14

The research goal of voluntary participation may be impossible to follow.

Question 15

Non-governmental organizations that conduct research involving human subjects need not establish review committees known as institutional review boards.

Question 16

With respect to harm in the conduct of research, ____.

A) only risk of psychological harm is acceptable
B) risk of physical harm is acceptable only when participants are paid enough money to compensate them
C) research with more than minimal risk is no longer permitted
D) criminal justice research may generate special considerations regarding physical harm

Question 17

When reporting research findings in professional journals, ____.

A) negative findings should be omitted
B) technical failures and mistakes should be reported
C) unexpected findings should not be reported.
D) limitations in the research need not be discussed

Question 18

Confidentiality and anonymity mean the same thing, and can be used interchangeably.

Question 19

Deception of subjects is never appropriate.

Question 20

The researcher can lessen the potential for harm when doing research by ____.

A) putting themselves in the line of danger to avoid harm to the participant
B) never telling the subject about the potential of harm
C) using field studies as the main source of research
D) considering which study design to use based on its potential for harm

Question 21

A group of researchers from an urban university want to employ some target hardening techniques in their area. Which outcome might they expect?

A) an immediate increase in crime in their area
B) a decrease in crime in surrounding areas
C) an increase in crime in surrounding areas
D) crime rates that remain unchanged

Question 22

If a researcher uses only those subjects who volunteer for a study, then which outcome may be expected?

A) Non-volunteers will feel left out.
B) The results may not be generalizable.
C) No one would be interested in the outcome.
D) Subjects may not like the results.

Question 23

Which action is central to voluntary participation?

A) paying subjects for participating
B) ensuring that there is some clear personal benefit for participants
C) emphasizing benefits while withholding information on risks
D) disclosing research purpose with informed consent

Question 24

Attempts to guard against harm to the participants in the simulated prison were accomplished by ____.

A) making certain that all participants were psychologically healthy
B) having "guards" and "inmates" trade roles every 24 hours
C) administering tranquilizers in food and beverages
D) telling the participants in advance about all the potential harm

Question 25

In the Stanford prison study, ____.

A) subjects accepted their roles very readily
B) debriefing sessions were held at the conclusion of the project
C) participants were allowed to leave the simulation periodically
D) inmates were paid more than were guards

Question 26

In the U.S., adult prisoners _____.

A) have, historically, been physically harmed by research participation
B) must be paid the prison system's typical inmate wage for participation
C) cannot participate in research that asks about their criminal history
D) can get extra "good time" in exchange for participating

Question 27

According to federal regulations, which of the following populations is classified as a "special" population?

A) public employees
B) juvenile delinquents
C) undergraduate students
D) new parents

Question 28

Ethical issues raised with the Sanford prison study include ________.

A) promising to pay participants but not doing so
B) allowing physical abuse of research subjects
C) failure to obtain informed consent
D) allowing guards to make up and modify rules

Question 29

Researchers may face legal liability when _____.

A) they make honest mistakes in data analysis
B) they become participants in the criminal activity they are observing
C) they do not include everyone who wants to participate
D) never, since researchers are protected from legal liability

Question 30

Institutional review boards ____.

A) provide expert advice on how to resolve ethical dilemmas present in some research
B) are only necessary when research involves special populations
C) can be helpful when a researcher is struggling to publish his or her work
D) often assist researchers in applications for funding

Question 31

The norm of voluntary participation is usually satisfied by ____.

A) compensation for participants
B) debriefing
C) informed consent
D) ensuring confidentiality

Question 32

Haney, Banks, and Zimbardo designed a simulated prison to measure ____.

A) the dispositional hypothesis
B) the innate predisposition to violence
C) the situational hypothesis
D) how violent inmates can be subdued

Question 33

Which statement best describes the purpose of an institutional review board?

A) to give guidance on reducing potential harm to subjects
B) to determine if the proposed research is worthy of study
C) to turn violators of ethical principles over to the police
D) to make it difficult for any social science research to be completed

Question 34

When it is not possible to match research data to the identities of participants, _____ has been achieved.

A) confidentiality
B) the absence of deception
C) anonymity
D) assurance of voluntary participation

Question 35

A local university is hosting the Law School Admissions Test LSAT) for a large group of prospective law students. Since there is such a large group taking the test, some professors of sociology from the local university decide to administer a questionnaire to the group asking their ideas on teenage sexual promiscuity. The professors informed the group about their research project. They assured them that their identity will not be disclosed and all information gathered will remain confidential. Which ethical issue was not considered?

A) explaining the purpose
B) voluntary participation
C) anonymity
D) confidentiality

Question 36

Informed consent ____.

A) allows subjects to weigh the risks and benefits of participating
B) is not required when results are kept confidential
C) must disclose the true purpose of the research
D) is rarely used in criminal justice research

Question 37

Which type of research is likely to be exempt from review under federal guidelines?

A) research involving the analysis of existing data
B) research involving only moderate risk
C) research in which confidentiality will be protected
D) research involving competent adults

Question 38

The dictionary definition of the word "ethical" is "conforming to standards of conduct of ____."

A) a given profession or group
B) the dominant religious group
C) society as a whole
D) the relevant legal codes

Question 39

In the U.S., federally designated special populations ____.

A) are exempt from informed consent
B) cannot be exposed to a greater amount of risk than other populations
C) must be compensated for research participation
D) cannot be used in research unless it will directly benefit them

Question 40

A promise of anonymity is unlikely to be possible when ____.

A) department of corrections summary data are used
B) personal interviews are conducted
C) questionnaires do not request identifying information
D) research involves observation in open, public settings

Question 41

There are certain classes of subjects that require special treatment by the researcher. Identify at least two of those classes and discuss why they constitute a special class. What specific steps should be taken when dealing with these special classes?

Question 42

Haney, Banks, and Zimbardo's prison simulation examined whether the prison environment itself creates brutal, dehumanizing conditions unrelated to the kinds of people who live and work in the institutions. The explanation is referred to as an) ____________________ hypothesis.

Question 43

Because of some controversial medical and social science research, the U.S. Department of ____________________ has established regulations designed to protect human subjects.

Question 44

Give an example using research discussed in class of the difference between anonymity and confidentiality. Be specific with your example.

Question 45

Harm to subjects, researchers, or third parties is possible in ____________________ studies that collect information from or about persons engaged in criminal activity;

Question 46

If a researcher cannot match a given response to a specific research subject, the research can promise __________________.

Question 47

Research involving observations of subjects involved in criminal activities may expose the researcher to ____________________ liability.

Question 48

The norm of voluntary participation is usually satisfied through ______________________.

Question 49

The two main ways of promoting compliance with ethical principles are __________________ and ___________________.

Question 50

Researchers strive to do no harm to their subjects. Identify what type of harm may occur to subjects and use specific examples to illustrate the potential harm. Include in your answer whether harm is ever appropriate when completing research in criminal justice.

Question 51

In order to make sure that there was no long-term damage done to the participants of a simulated prison, the researchers held ____________________ sessions with "prisoners" and "guards" after the termination of the project.

Question 52

When the term "informed consent" is used in criminal justice research, it refers to some very specific ethical concerns. Discuss what is meant by "informed consent" and why it is important when engaging in research.

Question 53

Discuss the role of institutional review boards in the research process. In what ways do they influence research and what is their specific purpose? Give an example of a situation that would not be approved by an institutional review board and how the researcher could rectify that situation.

Question 54

If a researcher is able to link information with a given person's identity but promises not to do so publicly, the researcher is promising ____________________.

Question 55

When a professor uses students in her class as research participants, there is a potential for ethical problems in that their participation may not be __________________.