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Does Research Design Affect Study Outcomes in Criminal Justice?

Author

Listed:
  • David Weisburd

    (Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland and a professor of criminology at the Hebrew University Law School in Jerusalem)

  • Cynthia M. Lum

    (Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland)

  • Anthony Petrosino

    (Center for Evaluation, Initiative for Children Program at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a research associate at Harvard University)

Abstract

Does the type of research design used in a crime and justice study influence its conclusions? Scholars agree in theory that randomized experimental studies have higher internal validity than do nonrandomized studies. But there is not consensus regarding the costs of using nonrandomized studies in coming to conclusions regarding criminal justice interventions. To examine these issues, the authors look at the relationship between research design and study outcomes in a broad review of research evidence on crime and justice commissioned by the National Institute of Justice. Their findings suggest that design does have a systematic effect on outcomes in criminal justice studies. The weaker a design, indicated by internal validity, the more likely a study is to report a result in favor of treatment and the less likely it is to report a harmful effect of treatment. Even when comparing randomized studies with strong quasi-experimental research designs, systematic and statistically significant differences are observed.

Suggested Citation

  • David Weisburd & Cynthia M. Lum & Anthony Petrosino, 2001. "Does Research Design Affect Study Outcomes in Criminal Justice?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 578(1), pages 50-70, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:578:y:2001:i:1:p:50-70
    DOI: 10.1177/000271620157800104
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. LaLonde, Robert J, 1986. "Evaluating the Econometric Evaluations of Training Programs with Experimental Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(4), pages 604-620, September.
    2. Gary Burtless, 1995. "The Case for Randomized Field Trials in Economic and Policy Research," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 63-84, Spring.
    3. Sandra M. Nutley & Huw T.O. Davies, 1999. "The Fall and Rise of Evidence in Criminal Justice," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 47-54, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Weisburd & Cynthia M. Lum & Sue-Ming Yang, 2003. "When can we Conclude that Treatments or Programs “Don’t Work†?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 587(1), pages 31-48, May.
    2. Kevin Petersen & Robert C. Davis & David Weisburd & Bruce Taylor, 2022. "Effects of second responder programs on repeat incidents of family abuse: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), March.
    3. Friedrich Lösel & Andreas Beelmann, 2003. "Effects of Child Skills Training in Preventing Antisocial Behavior: A Systematic Review of Randomized Evaluations," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 587(1), pages 84-109, May.
    4. David P. Farrington, 2003. "Methodological Quality Standards for Evaluation Research," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 587(1), pages 49-68, May.
    5. Brandon C. Welsh & David P. Farrington, 2003. "Effects of Closed-Circuit Television on Crime," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 587(1), pages 110-135, May.
    6. David Weisburd & John E. Eck, 2004. "What Can Police Do to Reduce Crime, Disorder, and Fear?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 593(1), pages 42-65, May.
    7. Iain Chalmers, 2003. "Trying to do more Good than Harm in Policy and Practice: The Role of Rigorous, Transparent, Up-to-Date Evaluations," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 589(1), pages 22-40, September.
    8. Dominic Pearson & David Torgerson & Cynthia McDougall & Roger Bowles, 2010. "Parable of Two Agencies, One of Which Randomizes," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 628(1), pages 11-29, March.
    9. Lawrence W. Sherman & Heather Strang, 2004. "Experimental Ethnography: The Marriage of Qualitative and Quantitative Research," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 595(1), pages 204-222, September.
    10. Kevin Petersen & David Weisburd & Sydney Fay & Elizabeth Eggins & Lorraine Mazerolle, 2023. "Police stops to reduce crime: A systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1), March.
    11. Lawrence W. Sherman, 2003. "Experimental Evidence and Governmental Administration," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 589(1), pages 226-233, September.
    12. Mark W. Lipsey, 2003. "Those Confounded Moderators in Meta-Analysis: Good, Bad, and Ugly," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 587(1), pages 69-81, May.

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