Theory

FALL 2008

    Directions: Read the following news article and respond to the questions below.

As economy sinks, officials fear violent solutions

(AP) -- An out-of-work money manager in California loses a fortune and wipes out his family in a murder-suicide. A 90-year-old Ohio widow shoots herself in the chest as authorities arrive to evict her from the modest house she called home for 38 years. In Massachusetts, a housewife who had hidden her family's mounting financial crisis from her husband sends a note to the mortgage company warning: "By the time you foreclose on my house, I'll be dead." Then Carlene Balderrama shot herself to death, leaving an insurance policy and a suicide note on a table. Across the country, authorities are becoming concerned that the nation's financial woes could turn increasingly violent, and they are urging people to get help. In some places, mental-health hot lines are jammed, counseling services are in high demand and domestic-violence shelters are full. "I've had a number of people say that this is the thing most reminiscent of 9/11 that's happened here since then," said the Rev. Canon Ann Malonee, vicar at Trinity Church in the heart of New York's financial district. "It's that sense of having the rug pulled out from under them." With nowhere else to turn, many people are calling suicide-prevention hot lines. The Samaritans of New York have seen calls rise more than 16 percent in the past year, many of them money-related. The Switchboard of Miami has recorded more than 500 foreclosure-related calls this year. "A lot of people are telling us they are losing everything. They're losing their homes, they're going into foreclosure, they've lost their jobs," said Virginia Cervasio, executive director of a suicide resource enter in southwest Florida's Lee County……"The financial stress builds up to the point the person feels they can't go on, and the person believes their family is better off dead than left without a financial support," said Kristen Rand, legislative director of the Washington D.C.-based Violence Policy Center. Dr. Edward Charlesworth, a clinical psychologist in Houston, Texas, said the current crisis is breeding a sense of chronic anxiety among people who feel helpless and panic-stricken, as well as angry that their government has let them down. "They feel like in this great society that we live in we should have more protection for the individuals rather than just the corporation," he said. It's not yet clear there is a statistical link between suicides and the financial downturn since there is generally a two-year lag in national suicide figures. But historically, suicides increase in times of economic hardship. And the current financial crisis is already being called the worst since the Great Depression. Counselors at Catholic Charities USA report seeing a "significant increase" in the need for housing counseling.

    Given your expertise as a theoretical criminologist, address the crime of suicide and/or murder-suicide by choosing ONE of the following theories: anomie/strain, conflict (group or economic), and/or Marxist. (1) First, explain the theory entirely. (2) Second, apply the theory to the news article above, and then (3) describe the related policy implications.

SPRING 2009
     The mayor of the city of Huntington has asked you, the criminological expert, to explain how best to address the crime of prostitution and some of the reasons why prostitution exists. Note that women are often
      criminalized for prostitution, more so than men who seek prostitutes.     
      First, select two specific theories, one each from two of the following schools/paradigms: strain/anomie, conflict, or labeling (be sure to select your theories from different schools).   
      Second, describe these theories, including the key concepts of each theory and how the theories work or explain criminal behavior, in this case, prostitution.
      Third, apply the theories to the city of Huntington and suggest specific policy implications for combating prostitution based on your theories. Don’t forget to address the mayor as well!

FALL 2009 

       As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate cybercrime. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation for which your study is based upon.
      First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms: rational choice, strain/anomie, or learning. Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.
      Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains criminal behavior.
      Third, apply the theory to cybercrime and suggest specific policy implications for combating it. 

SPRING 2010

     As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate sex offenders. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation for which your study is based upon.
       First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms: rational choice biological/psychological, or labeling. Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.
      Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains the criminal behavior.
      Third, apply the theory to sex offenders and suggest specific policy implications for combating this crime. 

FALL 2010
       As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate school bullying. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation for which your study is based upon.
      First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms:  Social Control School; Psychological School; or the Differential Association/Learning.  Be sure to state explicitly the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.
       Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains the criminal behavior.  
      Third, apply the theory to school bullying and suggest specific policy implications for combating this crime. 

SPRING 2011

      As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate drug laws. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation on which your study is based.

       First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms:  Classical/Neoclassical; Labeling; or Conflict/Radical.  Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.

      Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the
theory works or explains the drug laws and/or how they are violated.

      Third, apply the theory to drug laws and suggest specific policy implications for combating this crime. 

Fall 2011

      As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate elder abuse. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation for which your study is based upon.

       First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms: rational choice, social control/bonding, or anomie/strain. Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.

       Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains the criminal behavior.

       Third, apply the theory to elder abuse and suggest specific policy implications for combating this crime. 

 Spring 2012
       As a criminology expert, you have been asked to investigate gang violence. As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation on which your study is based upon.
       First, select ONE theory from the following schools/paradigms: subculture, social ecology/disorganization, or social learning. Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.
      Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains the criminal behavior.
      Third, apply the theory to gang violence and suggest specific policy implications for combating this crime/behavior. 

Fall 2012

      As a criminologist, you have been asked to investigate employee theft. One of the antecedents for employee theft found was job dissatisfaction (Kulas, McInnerney, DeMuth, Frautschy, & Jadwinski, 2007) while another found that those most likely to engage in employee theft were younger versus older individuals and males versus females (Hollinger & Clark, 1983). As you begin to develop your research project, you will need to explain the theoretical foundation on which your study is based.
      First, select ONE theory from one of the following schools/paradigms: social control/bond, rational choice, or social learning. Be sure to explicitly state the theorist’s name as well as the specific name of the theory.
      Second, describe the theory, and especially, define the key concepts and/or propositions. After defining the key components of the theory, explain in general how the theory works or explains the criminal behavior.
     Third, apply the theory to employee theft and suggest specific policy implications to reduce or combat it. 

Law

FALL 2008

    Earlier this year, the United States Supreme Court held, in Kennedy v. Louisiana, that the Eighth Amendment bars Louisiana from imposing the death penalty for the rape of a child where the crime did not result, and was not intended to result, in the victim’s death.   Explain the protections of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.  What arguments might the State of Louisiana have used to justify the death penalty for aggravated rape of a child?  What arguments might the defendant in such a case use against the death penalty for aggravated rape of child?  What factors would the Court consider in making such a decision?

SPRING 2009
      Explain how a search and seizure issue will be analyzed in a criminal case.  How does the issue come before the trial court?  What factors will the trial court consider in determining whether the evidence is admissible?  What is the remedy available to defendants if the constitution has been violated?  By whom and why was the remedy developed?  Are there exceptions to the remedy?  If so, please list and briefly explain them.

 FALL 2009

             The arrest of Philip Markoff, the Craigslist killer, has focused attention on the internet as a means of communication in today’s world.  It is clear that the anonymity provided by the internet enables many criminals to commit crimes in methods not traditionally available to them, including recruitment of potential victims.

             As a new master of Criminal Justice, you have been hired to work as a consultant for the Governor of West Virginia.  Your first assignment is to examine the feasibility of a new criminal statute that the Governor wants to introduce to the Legislature in January.  The purpose of the statue would be to restrict the use of the internet for criminal purposes.

             You have been asked to identify any constitutional impediments to such a statute.  Specifically, you should identify whether internet communication is covered by the United States Constitution and, if so, to what extent.       

Please answer and discuss the following questions:

1.      What speech is protected by the United States Constitution?

2.      What speech is NOT protected by the United States Constitution?

3.      What is the source of protection of speech within the United States Constitution?

4.      What areas of communication can be regulated by statute?

5.      What areas of internet communication can be regulated by statute?

6.      What language would you recommend for the proposed statute and why?

7.      Could such a statute potentially violate any other constitutional principles?  If so, what are those   principles?

SPRING 2010

      States across the United States have adopted sex offender registration and community notification laws.  Among other things, these laws require sex offenders to register with local police and make information about registered sex offenders available to the public online.  Failure to register under these laws is a criminal offense.

      In addition, many states have enacted sexually violent predator laws, providing for the civil commitment of sexually violent predators.  In many cases, the civil commitment occurs after a sexually violent predator has served a prison sentence for a sex crime and the commitment is indefinite (until the offender is no longer a danger to society).

       Opponents of these laws have argued that:  (1) these laws amount to additional punishment for which the sex offender has already served time, in violation of the United States Constitution’s prohibition on double jeopardy and cruel and unusual punishment, (2) these laws violate the ex post facto clause contained in the United States Constitution, and (3) these laws violate due process.

       First, explain HOW these criticisms might violate the United States Constitution.  That is, for each constitutional provision mentioned above, describe how one or both of these statutes might violate that provision. 

       Then, explain why these laws have not been declared unconstitutional.  Specifically, for each constitutional provision, explain how courts have upheld the constitutionality of these laws, in spite of the arguments of opponents.

FALL 2010

      School bullying takes many forms, from words and taunts, to threats of violence, to hate speech, to spreading malicious and untrue rumors.  Two recent cases of alleged cyberbullying have focused public attention on the harmful results of this practice. 

            The recent suicide of 18-year-old Rutgers University student, Tyler Clementi, has been described as a case of cyberbullying gone too far.  Mr. Clementi is believed to have committed suicide by jumping from the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River after a videotape of Mr. Clementi engaged in an intimate encounter was broadcast live on the Internet.   In an earlier case, 13-year-old Megan Meier committed suicide by hanging after being cyber bullied by her friend’s mother, Lori Drew. 

            The National Crime Prevention Council has reported that cyberbullying affects almost one half of American teenagers.  A 2004 survey of 1,500 students between grades 4-8 by I-      Safe.Org reported that 42% of students had been bullied while online and 35% of students had been threatened while online.  Numerous other students have concluded that cyberbullying is widespread and negatively affects one-third to one-half of teenagers who use the Internet.

            With your new master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, you have a new job working for the West Virginia Legislature.  Since a great deal of cyberbullying consists of speech, members of the legislature are concerned that any new law criminalizing cyberbullying will be held unconstitutional as a restriction on protected speech.   You have been asked to address any First Amendment issues involved in regulating cyberbullying.  Specifically, please address these issues:

            (1) Can speech be regulated? 

            (2) If so, explain what types of speech can and cannot be regulated.

            (3) Address what types of regulation can be employed to address this serious issue.

            (4) Address what actual or potential* crime(s) were committed by the students who leaked the Clementi video to the Internet.

            (5) Address what actual or potential* crime(s) Lori Drew committed.

*a potential crime is one that may not be enacted in West Virginia, but that could be enacted and would not violate the Constitution in some way.

SPRING 2011

The newly formed Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force in the City of Dameron, State of Marshall, employed a confidential informant to make an illegal drug purchase at the home of Don Juan.  The Task Force equipped the confidential informant with a hidden audio and video recording device (a “body wire”).  The Task Force did not obtain judicial authorization to allow the confidential informant to use the electronic surveillance device while inside Mr. Juan’s home.

               On December 11, 2010, the confidential informant went to Mr. Juan’s home.  The confidential informant was invited into the home by Mr. Juan and his wife, Dawn.  Once inside the home, the confidential informant purchased 3.23 grams of marijuana.  The electronic device worn by the confidential informant recorded the drug purchase.

               On March 22, 2011, a grand jury returned an indictment against Mr. Juan and his wife, charging them with one count of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of conspiring to deliver a controlled substance.  Mr. Juan has filed a motion to suppress the audio and video recording of the drug transaction, asserting that his federal Constitutional and Statutory rights were violated.

               Please respond to the following questions:

1.      How does one analyze a Fourth Amendment case such as this to determine whether the Fourth Amendment applies or not?

2.      Does the Fourth Amendment apply in this case?  Why or why not?

3.      What statutory rights might have been violated by the Task Force?

4.      Assuming that you represent Mr. Juan, what argument will you make in support of your motion?

5.      Will Mr. Juan’s motion succeed?  Explain your answer.

FALL 2011

As a new master of Criminal Justice and Criminology, you have been asked to advise West Virginia’s governor about elder abuse.  The governor is specifically interested in the types of crimes committed against elderly victims and why the elderly are uniquely vulnerable to crime victimization.  So, please answer these questions for the governor.

The governor would like to propose legislation that would appoint a “conservator” for every person over the age of 65 in West Virginia.  Each court appointed conservator would be responsible for:

·         monitoring income and expenses for the elderly person, including the ability to take over the financial activities of the elderly person;

·         making decisions about whether the elderly person should be in a nursing home or assisted living community;  and

·         would have the power to consent to medical treatment (or withholding medical treatment) for the elderly person.

Please provide the governor with your reaction to this proposed legislation and whether it would withstand Constitutional scrutiny and why.  Specifically address due process issues that may be involved with the implementation of such a statute.

Spring 2012

It is estimated that there are roughly 21000 gangs active in the United States, with an estimated 700,000 gang members (Lippman, 2010).  Gangs exist in urban, suburban, and rural areas.  They are involved in criminal behaviors ranging from drugs and prostitution, to extortion and theft. 

The State of Marshall legislature made several legislative “findings” concerning the peril posed by gangs, including:

·         Urban, suburban, and rural communities are being “terrorized and plundered by street gangs.”

·         Street gangs are often “controlled by criminally sophisticated adults” who manipulate or threaten young people into serving as drug couriers and into carrying out brutal crimes on behalf of the gang.

·         Street gangs present a “clear and present danger to public order and safety.”

In the City of Dameron, Marshall, the Wannabe’s have converted a four-square-block neighborhood into an “urban war zone.”  The gang congregates on sidewalks and lawns and in front of apartment complexes at all hours.  They openly drink, smoke dope, sniff glue, snort cocaine, and have transformed the neighborhood into a drug bazaar.  Drive-by shootings, vandalism, arson, and theft are commonplace events in this area.  Garages are used as urinals; homes have been commandeered as escape routes and serve as storage sites for drugs and guns; and buildings, sidewalks, and automobiles have been turned into a “canvas of gang graffiti.”  Community residents have become “prisoners in their own homes.”  Individuals wearing the color of clothing identified with rival gangs are at risk; relatives and friends are reluctant to visit.  Verbal and physical retaliation has been directed against anyone who complained to the police or who served as an informant.

As an intern for the Marshall Legislature, you have been asked to comment on a proposed bill that is designed to curb gang activity.  The bill would authorize police to order suspected gang members who, along with at least two other individuals, were “loitering” in public to vacate the area.  The statute creates a criminal offense punishable by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for not more than six months, and a requirement to perform up to 120 hours of community service.  There are four elements of the offense:

1.      The police officer must reasonably believe that at least one of the two or more persons present in a “public” place is a “criminal street gang member.”

2.      The persons must be “loitering,” which the statute defines as “remaining in any one place with no apparent purpose.”

3.      The officer must then order “all” of the persons to disperse and remove themselves “from the area.”

4.      A person must disobey the officer’s order.

If any person, whether a gang member or not, disobeys the officer’s order, that person is guilty of violating the statute.

Your assignment is to consider the content of the proposed statute and determine whether it would be Constitutional.  Specifically, the members of the committee to which the bill has been referred are concerned about three things:  (1) vagueness, (2) due process, and (3) equal protection.  Please address each of these issues in your analysis.  If there are other potential problems with the bill, please point them out, as well.

FALL 2012

       An employee was about to be let go from his job as a computer data processor at a large company.  Before he left, he changed the passwords on his hard drive to prevent his employer from accessing the encrypted data and the company had no way of retrieving the data without the password, which the employee would not disclose.  The employee left the company and was charged under the statute that provides: unauthorized access of a computer is unlawful.  Access is defined “to instruct, communicate with, store data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of the computer.”  At the time of the changing of the passwords, the former employee had authorization to access the computer.  Is the employee guilty?  Does he have a valid defense?  Explain your answer fully.

      Continuing with the story, police want to help the company retrieve their data.  They arrest the employee, take him to the police station, where he refuses to make a statement.  The prosecuting attorney moves the court to compel the defendant to disclose the new password.  The judge orders the employee to disclose the password.  The employee refuses.  What right does the employee have not to disclose the password?  Can he be compelled to disclose the password?  Explain your answer fully.

Research and Statistics

FALL 2008

    At one time or another, crime will touch most Americans or affect the lives of their relatives, friends, and acquaintances.  What people do, where they go, and who they associate with can affect their likelihood of victimization (similar to the ideas expressed in routine activities and lifestyles theories). With the growing university student populations over the last few decades, campus criminal victimization has become a greater concern for university administrators and campus security. Your task is to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship.

    The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

A.     Research Question/Purpose

a)      Provide a statement of your research question or purpose

b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

c)      List the conceptual definitions of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables)

B.     Sampling Design

a)      Identify the population, sample, sampling frame, and sampling technique to be used

C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

a)      Describe the instrument to be used

b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each (be sure to provide a justification for using particular levels of measurement)

D.     Human Subject Protections

a)      Identify any issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents

E.      Measurement Quality

a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures

F.      Analysis Plan

a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

SPRING 2009

As a recent Master’s graduate, you have just been hired by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) as a research associate. However, you are on a temporary contract for six months. You have to prove your worth within this time period to be hired on a permanent basis. Your new director tells you that NIJ is specifically looking for research ideas within the current concerns of racial profiling by police, gun violence, or prescription drug crimes in rural communities. You must pick one of these issues and propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to implement in the next two months. 

The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

A.    Research Question/Purpose

         a)      Provide a statement of your research question or purpose

         b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

         c)      List the conceptual definitions of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables)

B.     Sampling Design

         a)      Identify the population, sample, sampling frame, and sampling technique to be used

C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

         a)      Describe the instrument to be used

         b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each (be sure to provide a justification for using particular levels of measurement)

D.    Human Subject Protections

         a)      Identify any issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents

E.     Measurement Quality

         a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures

F.      Analysis Plan

         a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

FALL 2009

The Department of Homeland Security has designated October of each year as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This year marked the sixth annual event, and the theme was

“ ‘Our Shared Responsibility’ to reinforce the message that all computer users, not just industry and government, have a responsibility to practice good ‘cyber hygiene’ and to protect themselves and their families at home, at work and at school.”

Cybercrime can take many different forms; however, identity theft has now become a major concern for personal computer users.¹ As a research associate with the West Virginia Statistical Analysis Center, you have been assigned the task of developing a research project to test the link between identity theft (via computers) and socioeconomic status. Your task is to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship.

The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

A.    Research Question/Purpose

         a)      Provide a statement of your research question or purpose

         b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

         c)      List the conceptual definitions of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables)

B.     Sampling Design

        a)      Identify the population, sample, sampling frame, and sampling technique to be used

C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

         a)      Describe the instrument to be used

         b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each (be sure to provide a justification for using particular levels of measurement)

D.    Human Subject Protections

         a)      Identify any issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents

E.     Measurement Quality

         a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures

F.      Analysis Plan

         a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

 ______________________

¹ Previously, identity theft typically was associated with check fraud, plastic card fraud (credit cards, check cards, debit cards, phone cards etc.), immigration fraud, counterfeiting, forgery, terrorism using false or stolen information, theft of various kinds (pick pocketing, robbery, burglary or mugging to obtain the victim’s personal information), postal fraud, and many others (Newman & McNally, 2005).

SPRING 2010

Data suggests that sex offenders are more likely to recidivate than other types of offenders. Your task is to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship. 

The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

A.    Research Question/Purpose

         a)      Provide a statement of your research question or purpose

        b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

         c)      List the conceptual definitions of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables)

B.     Sampling Design

        a)      Identify the population, sample, sampling frame, and sampling technique to be used

C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

       a)      Describe the instrument to be used

        b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each (be sure to provide a justification for using particular levels of measurement)

D.    Human Subject Protections

        a)      Identify any issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents

E.     Measurement Quality

        a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures

F.      Analysis Plan

        a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

FALL 2010
      An epidemic of school bullying events and subsequent suicides has been brought to our attention over the past year. Previous research suggests that multiple factors may explain school bullying, including more males in the schools, lower levels of empathy, more authoritarian and violent families, higher levels of community violence, better socio-economic conditions, and more beliefs supporting aggression, just to name a few.
      To coincide with their efforts to quell this problem, you have been asked by the Board of Cabell County Schools to develop a research project to specifically test the link between school bullying and empathy. Your task is to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship.
      The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

A.    Research Question/Purpose

      a)      Provide a statement of the problem or research question

      b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

      c)      Write a formal conceptual definition for each of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and define them accordingly)

B.     Sampling Design

      a)      Identify the population from which you will sample, the sampling frame, the sample (include the sample size), and sampling technique to be used (i.e., describe the specific type of
            probability or non-probability sample you will use and how)

C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

      a)      Describe briefly in one sentence, the method you will use (i.e., experiment, survey, content analysis, etc.) and in another sentence, the instrument you will use.

      b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each

D.    Human Subject Protections

      a)      Identify ALL issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents and how you will address them

E.     Measurement Quality

      a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures, namely the strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or limitations

F.      Analysis Plan

      a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

SPRING 2011

      According to the National Drug Intelligence Center in a report titled, “West Virginia Drug Threat Assessment” (2003) it was found that “the percentage of youths reporting methamphetamine abuse in West Virginia is higher than the national percentage. According to 1999 YRBS data, 14.3 percent of West Virginia high school students surveyed reported having abused methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime, compared with 9.1 percent nationwide.”

     In West Virginia, it is illegal to purchase more than three packages of a medicine in which pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine is the single active ingredient or more than nine grams of pseudoephedrine in any form within a 30-day period. The law states that sales must be limited to no more than 3.6 grams total of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine daily per individual customer. This is the equivalent to 146 30 mg tablets or anything beyond three packages of 30 mg tablets. By law, pharmacies keep logs of how much and by whom these drugs are being purchased.

      To better understand this phenomenon, the National Drug Intelligence Center has asked you to develop a research project to specifically test the impact of WV pseudoephedrine drug laws and methamphetamine related drug crimes. Your task is to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship.

       The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

      A.    Research Question/Purpose

            a)      Provide a statement of the problem or research question

            b)     State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

             c)      Write a formal conceptual definition for each of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent
                    variables and define them accordingly)

     B.     Sampling Design

            a)      Identify the population from which you will sample, the sampling frame, the sample (include the sample size), and sampling technique to be used
                   (i.e., describe the specific type of probability or non-probability sample you will use and how)

      C.     Data Collection Technique(s)

             a)      Describe briefly in one sentence, the method you will use (i.e., experiment, survey, content analysis, etc.) and in another sentence, the instrument
                    you will use.

             b)     Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each

      D.    Human Subject Protections

            a)      Identify ALL issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents and how you will address them

      E.     Measurement Quality

            a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures, namely the strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or limitations

      F.     Analysis Plan

            a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

Fall 2011

  It is predicted that by 2020 there will be 65 million elderly Americans who will make up 20% of the total U.S. population. In 2009, the Census Bureau reported that elderly individuals comprised 12.9% of our total population, which when translated equals 1 in every 8 individuals. In West Virginia, the demographic of individuals 65 and older is even higher than the national average at 15.8%. With the growing number of elderly, there is cause for concern of their treatment and care as many of them become dependent on others through their golden years.
     As a criminologist, the WV Bureau of Senior Services has asked you to develop a research study about the factors that predispose a person to commit elder abuse, namely caregiver stress. You have agreed to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to test this relationship.

     The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections. 
A.    Research Question/Purpose

    a)    Provide a statement of the problem or research question
    b)    State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

    c)     Write a formal conceptual definition for each of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and define them accordingly)

B.    Sampling Design

    a)    Identify the population from which you will sample, the sampling frame, the sample (include the sample size), and sampling technique to be used (i.e., describe the specific type of probability or non-probability sample you will use and how)

C.    Data Collection Technique(s)

    a)    Describe briefly in one sentence, the method you will use (i.e., experiment, survey, content analysis, etc.) and in another sentence, the instrument you will use.

    b)    Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each

D.   Human Subject Protections

    a)    Identify ALL issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents and how you will address them

E.    Measurement Quality

    a)    Describe the reliability and validity of the measures, namely the strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or limitations

F.    Analysis Plan

    a)    Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

Spring 2012

According to the latest National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) conducted in 2009 and reported by Egley and Howell (2011), the prevalence rate of gang activity increased slightly from 2008 (32.4 percent) to 2009 (34.5 percent). Law enforcement estimates from 2009 indicate that there were 28,100 gangs and 731,000 gang members throughout 3,500 jurisdictions in the United States. From 2002 to 2009, both the number of jurisdictions with gang problems and the number of gangs increased more than 20%, with both indicators increasing 5% just over the past couple of years. The NYGS identified 5 "triggers" of gang violence: 1) gang migration, 2) drug related factors (marketing, distribution), 3) inter-gang conflict (beefs, turf, space invasion, retaliation), 4) returning inmates from a period of confinement to gangs, and 5) the emergence of new gangs.  The NYGS also found that only about 32.9% of smaller cities and 17% of rural areas reported gang activity in 2009.

 In late 2011, West Virginia was awarded a grant to train officers from selected local (i.e. city) law enforcement agencies throughout the state to detect gang violence and the presence of the five triggers.  The cities of Wheeling and Huntington were selected for the training, which will begin in June 2012. Other cities officers (e.g., Beckley, Morgantown) will not receive the training. You have been hired to develop a research study to address the impact of the training program on officer ability to recognize gang violence and its triggers. A second concern is whether this training will have any impact on reported levels of gang violence in various jurisdictions throughout West Virginia. You have agreed to propose a QUANTITATIVE research design to address these questions.

 The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

 A.      Research Question/Purpose

a)      Provide a statement of the problem or research question

b)      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested

c)      Write a formal conceptual definition for each of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and define them accordingly)

B.      Sampling Design

a)      Identify the population from which you will sample, the sampling frame, the sample (include the sample size), and sampling technique to be used (i.e., describe the specific type of probability or non-probability sample you will use and how)

C.      Data Collection Technique(s)

a)      Describe briefly in one sentence, the method you will use (i.e., experiment, survey, content analysis, etc.) and in another sentence, the instrument you will use.

b)      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each

D.     Human Subject Protections

a)      Identify ALL issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents and how you will address them

E.      Measurement Quality

a)      Describe the reliability and validity of the measures, namely the strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or limitations

F.       Analysis Plan

a)      Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why.

FALL 2012
      It is estimated that 25-40 percent of employees steal from their workplace, costing businesses in the United States approximately $50 billion a year. In tough economic times, the temptation to engage in employee theft may be even greater. As a research associate at the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the director has asked you to develop a QUANTITATIVE research study about the factors that may contribute to an employee stealing from his/her employer during economic hardship.

      The subsections below are provided to guide you in answering the question. Make sure that you have included all of the information indicated in the subsections in your answer. Be thorough and please number your answers to correspond to the various subsections.

      A.         Research Question/Purpose
                   a.       Provide a statement of the problem or research question
                   b.      State the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested
                   c.       Write a formal conceptual definition for each of the key variables (if your research purpose is explanatory, clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and define them
                             accordingly)
      B.         Sampling Design
                 a.       Identify the population from which you will sample, the sampling frame, the sample (include the sample size), and sampling technique to be used (i.e., describe the specific type of probability
                           or non-probability sample you will use and how)
     C.         Data Collection Technique(s)
                  a.       Describe briefly in one sentence, the method you will use (i.e., experiment, survey, content analysis, etc.) and in another sentence, the instrument you will use.
                  b.      Provide operational definitions of the key variables, as well as identify the level of measurement for each
       D.        Human Subject Protections
                 a.       Identify ALL issues related to the use of human subjects/respondents and how you will address them
      E.         Measurement Quality
                a.       Describe the reliability and validity of the measures, namely the strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or limitations
      F.          Analysis Plan
                a.       Explain the appropriate statistical tests to be used and why?

Planning

FALL 2008

    You have been assigned the task of developing a comprehensive program to address Violence Against Women in your community, Dameronville. For this task, $100,000 has been allocated to you by Dameronville.  In a time of dwindling resources, it is necessary to “think outside the box” and identify underutilized resources and alternative funding sources for your project.  Please read the following questions carefully and respond to them.

1.      Who will your program serve?

2.      What services will be provided?

3.      Who will provide the services?

4.      Where will your program be located?

5.      Who will you need to hire?

6.      What positions will hired personnel fill?  (i.e., please provide a brief job description for each position)

7.      How will your program be funded?  Please provide concrete examples of where you will look for funding.

8.      What will your budget include?  Please provide a brief listing of budget categories and anticipated expenses for your program.  If you anticipate additional funds beyond the initial allocation, please specify the source(s) of those funds.

How will you evaluate your program?  Please address both process and outcome evaluation, how you will set up data collection for purposes of evaluation, and specifically what you will evaluate?


SPRING 2009

 In West Virginia, out of 1000 people who are sexually assaulted each year, 530 are injured in the assault, but only 320 report the assault to the police.  Of the 530 injured, only 310 receive treatment.  Of the 310 who receive treatment, only 200 report to the police. This means that 110 individuals are treated who are injured from a sexual assault, yet they do not report their victimization to the police. This also means that 680 of the victims do not report the assault at all to the police.

 There are four potential outcomes when a person is sexually assaulted:

      1. Victim does nothing