CJUS750 1
Annotated Biography
Michael D. Enkouang-Mekanda
School of Government, Liberty University
Author Note
Michael D. Enkouang-Mekanda
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Enkouang-Mekanda.
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract
Understanding how to use various tools available for a research paper is critical. An annotated
biography provides the scholar with the resources to conduct successful research. This
assignment demonstrates an understanding of the sources that could be used to conduct specific
research or contribute to opening other venues for the study case. Our purpose will be to conduct
an annotated biography on the various approaches to qualitative inquiry and describe how those
approaches contribute to the criminal justice field.
Keywords: Qualitative research, criminal justice field, law enforcement officers.
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Annotated Biography
Qualitative research could be defined as a “’ process of naturalistic inquiry that seeks an
in-depth understanding of social phenomena within a particular natural setting” (Philo-notes,
2020). Conducting qualitative research on evidence-based policy would help provide an in-depth
understanding of how evidence-based policing positively impacts the criminal justice field. It is
critical to consider the definition of evidence-based policing as being a policing approach that
results in tactical decisions that influence an organization or a police department. An emphasis is
placed on the value of statistical analysis and empirical research regarding policing practice
under which law enforcement is prompted to create, review, and apply the best possible evidence
that informs and challenges the department's policies, decision-making process, and practices.
Based on various qualitative research, we will conduct a literature review on evidence-based
policing and its benefits to the criminal justice field.
Literature Review
Cho, Y., Grenier, R., & Williams, P. (2022). Introduction: Innovation in qualitative
research in HRD.Journal of European Industrial Training,46(7/8), 685-
692.3https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-05-2022-0058
The authors of this research provided us with various articles that focus on various
innovative qualitative inquiry approaches. The purpose of these various approaches is to
challenge criminal justice professionals to consider using their suggested innovative approaches
in their research. According to the authors, their suggested approaches will help researchers
develop a better understanding and a “concise capture of honor voices, experiences and meaning-
making of individuals, teams, organizations, and communities” (Cho et al., 2022). This research
primarily aimed to examine the changes organizations underwent during the COVID-19
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pandemic that struck the world. The Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners were
responsible for addressing all concerns and changes within the workplace and assessing the
impact the pandemic had on the workplace. These types of qualitative research could benefit the
criminal justice field by its ability to challenge criminal justice professionals to access evidence-
based policies from a perspective that provides them with a different critical approach while
undergoing a crisis.
Gunn, A. J., Hardesty, M., Overstreet, N., & Wallace, S. (2021). “Every time I tell
my story, I learn something new”: Voice and inclusion in research with Black women with
histories of substance use and incarceration.3Criminology & Criminal Justice,
174889582110058. https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211005820
The research underlines the necessity of including the voices of Black women who have
histories of substance abuse and incarceration in research to help develop appropriate support
networks and policy implementation to assist them. According to the authors, the commitment to
account for the perspectives of these oppressed women within qualitative research requires the
use of inclusive research methods for this type of population for a better outcome. The authors
use twelve African American women with histories of substance abuse and incarceration to share
their stories through interviews, focus groups, and interactive workshops. Their direct
participation significantly contributed to shaping the research agenda and its outcome. This
approach seems to benefit the individual participants, empower them, and help them gain new
insights into their personal experiences by sharing their stories. This approach is beneficial to the
criminal justice field because it helps practitioners have a better understanding of these women's
experiences with substance abuse and to make an assessment of these individual criminal
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behavior patterns. This will help criminal justice practitioners develop critical thinking strategies
helpful to reshape the relationship between minority communities and the police.
Grenier, R. S., Williams, P., & Cho, Y. (2022). Moving the needle on qualitative
approaches to studying HRD.Journal of European Industrial Training,46(7/8), 754-
764.3https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-02-2022-0019
This research study examines the implications of human research development (HRD)
and the additional directions from an innovative qualitative approach. This research is mainly
done for HRD scholars and scholar-practitioners in the field of HRD. Throughout the research,
the authors define innovative approach “to mean either an approach (or technique) that is newly
conceived or one that is new to HRD (or little used)” (Grenier et al., 2022). The findings of this
research suggest that relatively few approaches to qualitative research may have been used
regarding HRD-dedicated literature. According to the authors, an innovative approach within the
HRD-dedicated literature could significantly increase the understanding of organizations,
narratives, visuals, and indigenous methods. Because this approach is mainly focused on the
experience and the voice of the individual being studied, it could benefit criminal justice by
encouraging many practitioners to rely on it to conduct studies.
Mitchell, M. B., & Davis, J. B. (2019). Formerly Incarcerated Black Mothers Matter
Too: Resisting Social Constructions of Motherhood.3The Prison Journal,399(4), 420–
436.3https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519852079
The article focuses on the experience of formerly incarcerated Black mothers and how
they resist and challenge the social constructs of motherhood (Mitchell & Davis, 2019). The
authors present these women as individuals facing multiple levels of stigmatization and
discrimination as Black formerly incarcerated females. Using qualitative interview analysis of
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the experiences of these women, the authors share their stories and struggles with the public.
These struggles include the limited access to resources and the nature of their relationship with
their children following incarceration. Throughout this research article, the authors explored
strategies to resist societal expectations and advocate for these women and their family members.
They advocate for better social support systems and policy changes, focusing on the needs of this
population while promoting their well-being and family reunification (Mitchell & Davis, 2019).
The article is beneficial within the criminal justice field because it addresses the rights of
formerly incarcerated black women through policy changes and criminal justice reforms.
Patterson, E. W., Ball, K., Corkish, J., & Whittick, I. M. (2023). Do you see what I
see? Enhancement of rigor in qualitative approaches to inquiry: A systematic review of
evidence.Qualitative Research Journal,23(2), 164–180.3https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-06-
2022-0086
This research study synthesized current literature on qualitative research regarding the
conceptualization of rigor within qualitative approaches inquiry. The authors focused on factors
contributing to enhancing rigor when implementing qualitative research using an interpretative
approach broken down with a systematic review method, adapted to provide a rigorous but
structured selection. While using a thematic synthesis approach to analyze data, the authors
found seven descriptive themes within the analyzed literature. Those themes include the
“conceptualizing rigor, conceptualizing truth and value in knowledge generation, participant trust
and communication of truth, rigor in research design and implementation, subjectivity,
reflexivity, and researcher identity, reader confidence and transparency, and strategies for
enhancing rigor” (Patterson et al., 2023). The authors further developed these themes into ethical
co-construction, methodological alignment, and multi-perspective interpretation themes. This
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research's importance lies in its ability to show that all these themes presented the qualitative
approach within the criminal justice field.
Mertens, D. M. (2021). Transformative Research Methods to Increase Social Impact
for Vulnerable Groups and Cultural Minorities.3International Journal of Qualitative
Methods,320(1-9), 160940692110515. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211051563
This article “explores a transformative research method to increase social impact for
vulnerable groups and cultural minorities” (Mertens, 2021). According to the author, traditional
research approaches often fail to address the specific needs of these groups or communities. The
article presents a better approach necessary to help address their issues through participatory
action research, community-based research, and indigenous research methodologies (Mertens,
2021). The author provided detailed methodological principles and practices that could
potentially promote social changes that benefit vulnerable groups and communities of cultural
minorities. To highlight the transformative research approach's effectiveness, the author shows it
has resolved health disparities, education inequality, and unfair criminal justice issues. He
emphasizes the importance of the collaborative partnership with the community and the need for
researchers to reflect critically on the group's vulnerabilities to help address the issue at hand.
The transformative research method advocated by the author is beneficial to the evidence-based
policy within the criminal justice field in that the method provides ways for equality and justice
to be addressed within our communities. This provides criminal justice professionals additional
tools to address vulnerable groups and cultural minorities’ issues through a transformative
approach.
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Tarnoki, C., & Puentes, K. (2019). Something for everyone: A review of qualitative
inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Qualitative Report, 24(12),
3120. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.4294
The authors of this article think that the original book was mainly written for individuals
interested in qualitative research. The authors suggest the necessity of using different approaches
to satisfy certain phenomena. Because the requirement pauses by specific conditions could lead
to different ways of collecting data or conducting a research inquiry. The authors think that an
example of researchers requiring these types of approaches is those of researchers interested in
examining humans. The author affirms that the book teaches about different approaches to
qualitative inquiry and the design and procedure of a study involving qualitative inquiry. The
benefit of this diverse approach is its ability to help practitioners to understand language
throughout multiple disciplines.
Denzin, N. K. (2016). Critical Qualitative Inquiry.3Qualitative Inquiry,323(1), 8–16.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800416681864
Norman Denzin thinks critical qualitative inquiry is needed within the public sphere
because we live in the global neoliberalism of politics of evidence that gives meaning to the audit
culture that marginalized critical inquiry. The authors suggest a need for interpretive, critical,
performative qualitative research into the issue. According to the author, qualitative research
inquiry is greatly needed in today’s world as it will raise the sense of individual criticism. The
author uses the current dangerous circumstances to imply the importance of developing a critical
interpretive approach to make sense of our surroundings and living conditions. Having a critical
interpretative approach could benefit criminal justice by providing practitioners with the tools
needed to discern when faced with critical circumstances surrounding an emergency call.
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Rocha, J. (2022). A Multi-methods Approach to Qualitative Inquiry to Explore the
College Journeys of Mexican American Women.3Journal of Latinos and Education, pp. 1–
16. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2022.2034629
The author of this article uses a qualitative method to assess how multiple interpretative
methods could help capture the path of women originally from Mexico in lower-income
immigrant households to generation-first college students of the minority at a high-ranking
research university. The author focuses on multiple interpretative research approaches, going
from the traditional approach to more modern and innovative educational techniques of
qualitative inquiries to make its suggestion. Rocha uses advanced research to focus on
individuals who have been historically excluded from higher educational institutions. The
article's author argues for an exceptional strength resulting from using multiple qualitative
approaches to examine the pros and cons of the qualitative method. At first hand, the findings
revealed that four-generation first-college-going students could utilize their families for help,
giving them a resource to facilitate their successful transitions to college. We noticed that the
author relied on photographs to show how participants could show the many aspects of their
college lives as students. The multiple-interpretative approach is beneficial within the criminal
justice field in that it helps practitioners understand the lived experiences of Mexican American
women or other minority groups. This could explain how to implement criminal justice policies
that will help promote the enhancement of such groups within the community and deter crime.
Burse, J., Voth-Schrag, R., Fields, N. L., & Woody, D. (2021). Domestic violence
survivorship among a sample of older African American women: An interpretative
phenomenological analysis.3Journal of Interpersonal Violence,337(23-24), 088626052110665.
https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211066541
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In this article, the authors research the experiences of older African American women
survivors of domestic violence. To have a better understanding of the individual perspective and
coping mechanism related to domestic violence, the authors use an interpretative
phenomenological analysis approach (IPA). The overall findings of these authors regarding this
topic “pointed toward the need for generating more culturally sensitive and culturally tailored
programs and services to address domestic violence in the African American community” (Burse
et al., 2021). The IPA method provides an in-depth exploration of the participant's lived
experience. To conduct their research, the authors relied on semi-structured interview transcripts
with twenty older African American women who had survived domestic violence. The
transcripts used thematic analysis to identify themes and patterns. Interpretative
phenomenological analysis is essential within the criminal justice field because it could help
provide the researchers with an in-depth understanding of the perspective and the complexity of
the issue through the contribution of the victims who are research participants. This brings a
unique contribution to the issue of domestic violence and provides a starting point toward the
resolution of the issue.
Colbert, A. M., Goshin, L. S., Durand, V., Zoucha, R., & Sekula, L. K. (2016).
Women in Transition: Experiences of Health and Health Care for Recently Incarcerated
Women Living in Community Corrections Facilities.3Research in Nursing & Health,339(6),
426–437. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21742
This research article examines the healthcare experience of recently incarcerated women
living in community corrections facilities. The authors assess the challenges these women face
while transitioning into community corrections facilities and provide insight into these women’s
critical needs. Using a semi-structured interview approach, the authors were able to gain a better
CJUS750 11
understanding of the complex factors impacting the healthcare of recently incarcerated women
and the difficulties they face in accessing healthcare treatment while in communities’
correctional facilities. The authors expose the lack of mental health services, substance abuse
treatment, and reproductive health support for incarcerated women and the complex road to
healthcare that recently incarcerated women face within our criminal justice system. This
research's importance lies in its ability to provide insight into how to address the issue of
recidivism and race within our criminal justice system.
Emerson, A. M. (2018). Strategizing and Fatalizing: Self and Other in the Trauma
Narratives of Justice-Involved Women.3Qualitative Health Research,328(6), 873–887.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732318758634
This research article explores the level of trauma affecting women within the criminal
justice system and the impact of this trauma on their personal lives, using a qualitative approach
based on in-depth interviews of women involved as participants. The author identified
strategizing and finalizing as the two main strategies resulting from the trauma narratives of
these women victims of the criminal justice system. The author found that all participants often
construct their trauma narratives based on society's expectations. However, women tend to
narrate their stories to match society’s experience. The article benefits the criminal justice field
by providing valuable insight into the condition of women within the criminal justice system and
how they perceive themselves and society’s expectations.
Bodman, G. M., & Patrizia Garista. (2023). The Rug Methodology in Qualitative
Studies.3International Journal of Qualitative Methods,322.
https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205774
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The article explores the importance of the Rug Methodology in enhancing participation in
qualitative research studies to help facilitate narratives and expression. Data could be collected
using in-depth interviews by amplifying the collection of participants’ lived experiences,
emotions, reflections, and desires. The other provided a multiple Rugs approach, such as using
images to interpret and objects to create within qualitative research to help access individual
states of mind. This approach benefits criminal justice by allowing practitioners to add value to
the participant's narratives. It provides individuals with various ways of expressing themselves,
which could be used to access sensitive cases related to sexual-related assaults where victims are
too shy to express themselves using words.
Kegler, M. C., Raskind, I. G., Comeau, D. L., Griffith, D. M., Cooper, H. L. F., &
Shelton, R. C. (2018). Study Design and Use of Inquiry Frameworks in Qualitative
Research Published in Health Education & Behavior.3Health Education & Behavior,346(1),
24–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198118795018
This article provides us with the importance of qualitative methods, allowing us to
understand context, identify new research questions, explore new phenomena, and uncover new
change models. The authors use the qualitative approach to better understand health education
and health behavior through a review of 48 articles published within the field of study. The
authors’ framework used a theory, methods, data collection, sampling strategy, general analysis
approach, and reporting the results. At the end of their research, the authors found that more
international applications of a more extensive range of inquiry frameworks could improve the
qualitative methods within health education and behavioral research. This approach could be
used in criminal justice when investigating by asking broader questions to reach a desired result.
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Cooper, R. (2014). Creative Combinations in Qualitative Inquiry. The Qualitative
Report: An Online Journal Dedicated to Qualitative Research since 1990.
https://safe.menlosecurity.com/doc/docview/viewer/docNFC0B4D0114874776b17d85e004e7
667d4f8a05f7b1489909257b3404cf3cfdba7ed1720eafe8
Cooper, in this article, points out the five most prominent traditions in qualitative
research. This qualitative research includes grounded theory, ethnography, narrative research,
phenomenology, and case study. This article aims to assist individuals in using research
methodology by introducing them to different qualitative research methods. Because qualitative
research methods are beneficial in arts and humanities, this method is flexible as it could be
adapted to the type of research individuals are pursuing. This makes this type of research
valuable for various data collection. The author presents the scientific and artistic paths as the
two main qualitative research paths most new students struggle with. This article could provide
criminal justice professionals unfamiliar with the qualitative research approach with a baseline
and a good foundation for learning.
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References
Bodman, G. M., & Patrizia Garista. (2023). The Rug Methodology in Qualitative
Studies.GInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods,G22.
https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205774
Burse, J., Voth-Schrag, R., Fields, N. L., & Woody, D. (2021). Domestic violence survivorship
among a sample of older African American women: An interpretative phenomenological
analysis.GJournal of Interpersonal Violence,G37(23-24), 088626052110665.
https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211066541
Cho, Y., Grenier, R., & Williams, P. (2022). Introduction: Innovation in qualitative research in
HRD.Journal of European Industrial Training,46(7/8), 685-
692.Ghttps://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-05-2022-0058
Cooper, R. (2014). Creative Combinations in Qualitative Inquiry. The Qualitative Report: An
Online Journal Dedicated to Qualitative Research since 1990.
https://safe.menlosecurity.com/doc/docview/viewer/docNFC0B4D0114874776b17d85e0
04e7667d4f8a05f7b1489909257b3404cf3cfdba7ed1720eafe8
Colbert, A. M., Goshin, L. S., Durand, V., Zoucha, R., & Sekula, L. K. (2016). Women in
Transition: Experiences of Health and Health Care for Recently Incarcerated Women
Living in Community Corrections Facilities.GResearch in Nursing & Health,G39(6), 426–
437. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21742
Denzin, N. K. (2016). Critical Qualitative Inquiry.GQualitative Inquiry,G23(1), 8–16.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800416681864
CJUS750 15
Emerson, A. M. (2018). Strategizing and Fatalizing: Self and Other in the Trauma Narratives of
Justice-Involved Women.GQualitative Health Research,G28(6), 873–887.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732318758634
Grenier, R. S., Williams, P., & Cho, Y. (2022). Moving the needle on qualitative approaches to
studying HRD.Journal of European Industrial Training,46(7/8), 754-
764.Ghttps://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-02-2022-0019
Gunn, A. J., Hardesty, M., Overstreet, N., & Wallace, S. (2021). “Every time I tell my story, I
learn something new”: Voice and inclusion in research with Black women with histories
of substance use and incarceration.GCriminology & Criminal Justice, 174889582110058.
https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211005820
Kegler, M. C., Raskind, I. G., Comeau, D. L., Griffith, D. M., Cooper, H. L. F., & Shelton, R. C.
(2018). Study Design and Use of Inquiry Frameworks in Qualitative Research Published
in Health Education & Behavior.GHealth Education & Behavior,G46(1), 24–31.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198118795018
Mertens, D. M. (2021). Transformative Research Methods to Increase Social Impact for
Vulnerable Groups and Cultural Minorities.GInternational Journal of Qualitative
Methods,G20(1-9), 160940692110515. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211051563
Mitchell, M. B., & Davis, J. B. (2019). Formerly Incarcerated Black Mothers Matter Too:
Resisting Social Constructions of Motherhood.GThe Prison Journal,G99(4), 420–
436.Ghttps://doi.org/10.1177/0032885519852079
Patterson, E. W., Ball, K., Corkish, J., & Whittick, I. M. (2023). Do you see what I see?
Enhancement of rigor in qualitative approaches to inquiry: A systematic review of
CJUS750 16
evidence.Qualitative Research Journal,23(2), 164–180.Ghttps://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-06-
2022-0086
Philo-notes. (2020). Quantitative Research vs Qualitative Research (Practical Research 2).
InGYouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UIjmBGpCEc
Rocha, J. (2022). A Multi-methods Approach to Qualitative Inquiry to Explore the College
Journeys of Mexican American Women.GJournal of Latinos and Education, pp. 1–16.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2022.2034629
Tarnoki, C., & Puentes, K. (2019). Something for everyone: A review of qualitative inquiry and
research design: Choosing among five approaches. Qualitative Report, 24(12), 3120.
https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.4294
