A criminologist wants to find out which life experiences predict criminal behaviour. She studies a group of prison inmates and finds that most had early histories of child abuse. Which research technique would she most likely use to further research this topic?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A retrospective cohort study is most suitable for examining past exposures or experiences (like child abuse) and their outcomes (such as criminal behavior) by looking back at the histories of individuals. This method allows the researcher to compare the experiences of those with the outcome of interest (criminal behavior) to those without, even though the data collection occurs after the outcomes have already been established.

A Criminologist Wants to Find Out Which Life Experiences Predict