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Chapter contents. Introduction
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CHAPTER CONTENTS
· Introduction 200
· What Is a Sensitive Topic? 200
· Survey Research 203
· Criticisms of Surveys 204
· Large-scale Surveys: The Crime Survey for England and Wales
(formerly The British Crime Survey) and its Approach to Sensitive Topics 206
· Generating Survey Data on Sensitive Topics and with Vulnerable Groups 208
· Identifying and Designing Suitable Research Questions 209
¡ Open and closed questions 211
¡ Long questions 212
¡ Loaded questions 212
¡ Vignettes 213
¡ Confidentiality 216
· Examples of Survey Research 216
¡ Survey example 1: Children and victimization 217
¡ Survey example 2: Public attitudes to sex offenders in the community 218
· Summary and Review 221
· Study Questions and Activities for Students 222
· Suggestions for Further Reading 223
· References 224
GLOSSARY TERMS
survey research survey questionnaire sensitive research hard-to-reach groups questionnaires quantitative research pilot study
piloting
USING SOCIAL SURVEYS
IN CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH
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Jo DeakIn and Jon Spencer
INTRODUCTION
In the run-up to the 2016 UK EU referendum, a team of researchers meet to develop a research proposal. Several tabloid newspapers have been running stories about an increase in crime committed by migrants, positioning these alongside calls to leave the EU. The research team is keen to discover the truth behind the criminal migrants’ stories: are these headlines merely propaganda designed to feed into these two highly politicized debates? The researchers’ aim is to devise a suitable method to investigate the ‘extent’ of criminal activity and criminal justice contact amongst young migrant men. Clearly, this is a sensitive issue that, if approached insensitively, could poten- tially be harmful for respondents: adding fuel to an already toxic debate, resulting in legal ramifications for individuals, or posing wider implications for the reputation and treatment of young migrant men.
After weighing up the different approaches, the researchers decide on a large national sample of young migrant men and agree that the survey method will gener- ate the ‘extent’ of data required. However, a key point of concern is whether a survey-questionnaire will allow the researchers to treat this difficult subject sensi- tively. The key question is whether it is possible to gather sensitive research data through a large-scale survey. Quantitative survey research has been maligned for failing to deal sensitively with research topics and respondents and, in particular, for employing pre-defined terms and a static agenda (Fox Keller, 1980; Oakley, 1981; Reinharz, 1979). These criticisms are especially problematic where sensitive issues and vulnerable populations are concerned.
It would appear, on first impression, that the survey is not a suitable choice of method for a sensitive research topic, or for use with vulnerable respondents, such as the one described above. However, in this chapter we explore the ways in which surveys can be an appropriate method to gather data on sensitive issues. We review the literature on survey methodology and conducting sensitive research with vulner- able populations, provide examples of survey research on sensitive topics and with hard-to-reach groups and present a brief guide to devising and administering a sur- vey on a sensitive issue. We begin with a discussion of the definitions of both sensitive research and hard-to-reach groups and provide a working definition of survey research.
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