J
OURNAL
E
VALUATION
F
ORM
NAME: Date: May 1, 2023
Reference Citation in APA format
Eneman. (2022). Ethical dilemmas when conducting sensitive research: interviewing
offenders convicted of child pornography. Journal of Information,
Communication & Ethics in Society., 20(3), 362–373. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-
03-2022-0028
1.
3.
A.
1. OUTLINE: Use the exact titles
and subtitles used in the article
Use alphanumeric style
I. (APA level 1)
A. (APA level 2)
1. (APA level 3)
a. (APA level 4)
(1) (APA level 5)
II. (APA level 1) and so on
I. Introduction
II. Purpose
III. Research
A. Child pornography
B. Practical challenges and ethical
dilemmas
IV. Conclusion
2. PURPOSE: (Cite, as accurately
as possible, the author’s purpose
for writing the article. What was
the research question?)
Explanatory, evaluative,
exploratory or descriptive
Was a theory or theoretical
perspective presented?
[Abstract, summary, conclusion]
“This article aims to describe the personal
experience and ethical dilemmas that the author
encountered when conducting qualitative research
on a highly sensitive topic, i.e. interviews with
offenders convicted of child pornography.” (Pg. 362)
3. KEYWORDS: (Keywords)
[Keywords after the abstract] or
KEY QUESTION: (Your goal is
“Sensitive qualitative research, Child pornography,
Offenders, Autoethnography, Ethical dilemmas,
Emotional challenges, Vulnerability and insecurity”
(Pg. 362)
4.
1.
5.
B.
C.
to figure out the key question that
was in the author’s mind when he
or she wrote the article. In other
words, what key question is
addressed?)
[the key issue is…., the main
point is…]
4. LITERATURE REVIEW
(Identify the most important and
relevant studies, prior literature)
[Introduction, previous
literature says, other studies]
“Ethical dilemmas and emotional challenges
highlighted refer to the issue of access to useful
empirical material, conducting interviews with
convicted offenders in prison environments, the
complexity surrounding confidentiality when
interviewing offenders about their criminal
activities, vulnerability and insecurity for the
researcher and emotional challenges for the
researcher when listening to the offenders’ stories
describing serious crimes against children.
Originality/value – This article contributes with
insights and reflections on conducting qualitative
research with a marginalized and stigmatized group
in prison environments.”
(Pg. 362)
5. TRANSITION INFORMATION:
Transition signal sentences
1. Addition-also, another, next,
first, other
2. Cause and effect-because,
since, therefore, as a
result
3. Comparison-like, equally,
just as
4. Contrast-but, yet, on
the contrary, however
5. Emphasis-most, above all,
key factor, especially
6. Illustration-for example,
for instance
7. Conclusion – finally, in
sum, in conclusion
“The remainder of this article is structured as
follows. The next section presents the context of
child pornography, followed by a description of the
approach used and the practical challenges and
ethical dilemmas encountered; then the article
concludes with final reflections.” (Pg. 363)
“It has existed in society for a long time and has
occurred through the media that have been available,
for example, through physical magazines,
photographs and videos (Howitt and Sheldon, 2007).
Creating the material, accessing it and distributing it
was previously more limited by access to technical
equipment and economic, physical and logistical
aspects (Gillespie, 2012). However, emerging
technologies have drastically changed this and
facilitated access for individuals with a sexual
interest in children. Today, many have access to
technical equipment through their mobile phones,
digital cameras, webcams, etc., which can easily be
used to photograph and film. These can be used by
people with a sexual interest in children to produce,
distribute, download and watch child pornography
(Howitt and Sheldon, 2007; Eneman et al., 2009;
Eneman, 2020).” (Pg. 363-364)
“In addition to being a crime in many Western
countries, child pornography is an illustrative
example of one of the most problematic areas of
harmful use of emerging technologies. The ability to
use technology to communicate with and create
networks of likeminded individuals who share a
sexual interest in children is considered an important
aspect (Davidson and Bifulco, 2018). Within these
networks, they make contacts and share and
exchange useful information and child pornographic
material.” (Pg. 363)
“The prohibition of such depiction does not include
drawings or paintings produced for artistic merit.
Swedish legislation has, compared with England and
Wales for example, been slow to tackle the
technological developments and challenges
(Akdeniz, 2001; Gillespie, 2012).” (Pg. 364)
“For example, by avoiding very unique descriptions
that could reveal individuals. I hope that my
experiences of conducting research on a highly
sensitive topic surrounded by a number of
challenges and dilemmas in our digital society can
offer inspiration and support to other researchers
approaching these kinds of sensitive themes.”
(Pg. 371)
“Finally, it should be emphasized that my personal
motivation to conduct research within this area is
based on my ambition to develop knowledge that
can be used for policymaking to strengthen the
protection of children in our society. For me as a
researcher, it is valuable to know that my research
results have been used by law enforcement agencies
to inform the design of new legislation and also
during the review of existing legislation. My
research has been ethically approved. In addition,
further precautions have been taken to protect the
privacy of those involved in this study, for example,
by avoiding very unique descriptions that could
reveal individuals.” (Pg. 371)
6. METHODOLOGY(Key
methods used)
[Methods: What model is used,
what is the experimental design,
our data was from, Are there
any stated hypothesis? If so
what are the independent of
dependent variables? What are
the units of analysis (sample)?
Were there any instruments
used? Was this a cross sectional
or longitudinal design or other
design like experiment, survey,
or observation? What are the
sample characteristics-selection,
participation rate?]
“The method has become popular in social sciences
as it acknowledges and accommodates subjectivity,
emotionality, vulnerability, reflexivity and the
researcher’s influence on research (Adams et al.,
2014). Reflexivity should, in this context, be
understood as the strive of making the researcher’s
position and experiences visible (Rowe, 2014). The
focus on the researcher’s experiences means that the
author of an autoethnographic study can be
described as both subject and researcher (Coffey,
2002). The literature (Rowe, 2014; Jewkes, 2011,
Ricciardelli JICES 20,3 364 and Spencer, 2014)
highlights the importance of researchers shedding
light on subjective experiences when conducting
research in prison environments, as the prison differs
significantly from other social institutions. Gacek
(2021) reminds us that research in the prison
environment inevitably gives rise to challenges and
limitations and therefore research ethics are central.
According to Markham (2006, 2018), research ethics
and methods are strongly intertwined and should not
be separated. Research ethics permeates the entire
research process, which is also emphasized by the
ethical guidelines developed by AoIR (Ess et al.,
2002; franzke et al., 2020). The research that
underlies the autoethnographic approach in this
article is based on interviews with a total number of
15 offenders, where five of them were interviewed
on more than one occasion. The overall purpose of
the interviews was to take part in the individual
offenders’ own stories about their activities linked to
child pornography and the role of technology.”
(Pg. 364-365)
7. RESULTS/DISCUSSION
(Tables, data, graphical
representations, meaning)
[Results: Were there any causal
assertions? Did data support the
conclusions or assertions? the
results show, Table 1 shows]
“Because many actions surrounding child
pornography are illegal in many countries (Gillespie,
2012), it is most unlikely that people involved in this
these activities would be willing to discuss their
activities prior to conviction (Taylor and Quayle,
2003). It would also be an extremely difficult and
complex issue, practically, ethically and legally, for
a researcher to try to gain access to non-convicted
people who have experience in activities related to
child pornography where offenders have contacted
(potential) victims (Noaks and Wincup, 2017; Ray,
Kimonis and Donoghue, 2010; Blagden and
Pemberton, 2010). An alternative approach is
therefore to focus on convicted offenders who have
been involved in these types of crimes (Taylor and
Quayle, 2003). I therefore focused on trying to
conduct interviews with offenders convicted of child
pornography while they were serving their sentences
in a prison environment. Individual interviews with
offenders have been described as an invaluable
source for better understanding criminal behaviour
(Presser, 2010;
Ricciardelli and Spencer, 2014;
Morgan and Lambie, 2019).” (Pg 366)
8. LIMITATIONS/DISCUSSION
(Limitations of the study)
[Limitations, Discussion: One
limitation of our study is, other
limitations, Other studies
show…]
“To gain access to offenders willing to participate in
the study and be interviewed, I contacted the
Swedish Prison and Probation Service via email to
investigate the possibilities. Shortly afterwards, I
was called by a person who worked centrally within
the Swedish Prison and Probation Service with
research activities and who wanted to hear more
about the study. They asked me to send an
information letter that clearly described the research
study. I sent over the information letter I had already
written that described the purpose of the study, the
purpose of the interviews, the interview template
with the questions, how the material will be used,
who will have access to the material, how the
material will be stored during the study, how the
material will be archived when the study is
completed and that the study has undergone an
ethics test and been approved (a copy of the decision
regarding the ethics test was attached). The letter
also contained a short presentation about me as the
responsible researcher at the University of
Gothenburg, and brief information about the
research funders. I emphasized that participation was
voluntary, that the respondent could choose to
cancel his participation at any time and that no
material would then be used, that the respondent
could choose to refrain from answering certain
questions if he so wished, that the material will only
be used for research and how I as a researcher apply
the question of confidentiality in relation to the
respondents and their stories. I presented my
approach to confidentiality as follows: I will handle
information that comes to my knowledge during the
interviews confidentially as long as the content does
not describe an ongoing crime or a crime that will
take place. If such a situation arises, I will inform
my contact person within the Swedish Prison and
Probation Service. When JICES 20,3 366 publishing
the results of the study, I will take measures in line
with good research ethics to ensure that no
individuals can be identified and will also not
describe unique events that may risk being traced to
an individual.”
(Pg. 366-367)
9. CONCLUSION
(The main conclusion(s) of the
author(s))
[Conclusion: In summary,
Finally, In conclusion, Future
studies?]
“Finally, it should be emphasized that my personal
motivation to conduct research within this area is
based on my ambition to develop knowledge that
can be used for policymaking to strengthen the
protection of children in our society. For me as a
researcher, it is valuable to know that my research
results have been used by law enforcement agencies
to inform the design of new legislation and also
during the review of existing legislation. My
research has been ethically approved. In addition,
further precautions have been taken to protect the
privacy of those involved in this study, for example,
by
avoiding
very
unique
descriptions
that
could
reveal individuals.” (Pg. 371)
10. YOUR OPINION OF THE
PAPER
This document is excellent. The breakdown of how
the writer explained the research from different
countries. The writer also went thoroughly into
interviews with offenders who were presently
incarcerated.
