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D2 are classmates research questions

D1 reply to calyl

Research is a systematic, rigorous, and objective process of inquiry designed to discover new knowledge, test hypotheses, or revise existing theories.  It is not merely gathering information; it is a disciplined methodology for solving problems or answering complex questions through the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.  Research is a relatively systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information—data—to increase our understanding of a phenomenon about which we are interested or concerned. ^1

Characteristics of Research: Research follows a structured approach based on the scientific method.  Key characteristics include: 

Systematic and Logical: It follows a formal sequence of steps, ensuring that the process is organized and repeatable. Empirical: It relies on direct observation or experimentation, grounding conclusions in tangible evidence rather than subjective opinion. Objective: It strives to minimize researcher bias, ensuring that findings are based on data rather than personal beliefs.   Replicable: The methodology must be transparent, allowing other scholars to repeat the study to verify the validity of the results.

    The term “research” is frequently abused because of the common conflation between “searching” and “researching.”  In the digital age, individuals often mistake the act of using search engines to retrieve existing information for the act of conducting research.  As Kothari (2004) notes, research is a “voyage of discovery,” not a simple retrieval of facts.  When students or professionals merely summarize existing literature without contributing new analysis or testing a hypothesis, they are performing information gathering, not research. ^2     Furthermore, the misunderstanding persists because the term is used loosely in casual conversation.  True research requires a “critical and exhaustive investigation” that goes beyond surface-level inquiry.  Because the academic rigor required to produce original knowledge is often absent in casual “research tasks, the term has lost its weight.  The devaluation of the word occurs when the distinction between consuming information and producing new knowledge is blurred, leading to a widespread misconception that any act of looking up facts constitutes a scholarly contribution.  ^3

1.  Ormrod, Jeanne E. Practical Research: Design and Process. Available from: Columbia College (13th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2023. 2.  Kothari, C.R. (2004).  Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques.  New Age International Publishers.   3.  Creswell, J.W., & Creswell, J.D. (2018).  Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches.  SAGE Publications.  

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D1reply to rick

Short definition of  Research- The collection of information about a particular subject. (Merriam- Websters Dictionary, 2026). Although this defines research. Our text expands more of what Research requires, what is needed and its purpose. Our text has really clear up many misconceptions of the meaning of research. As stated in the text research expands much further than mere collection of already documented information, facts or others' opinions. Research starts with a problem, a question or interest of a topic. Then requires a deeper investigation(s) into that topic that could result into further questioning of information found.  When the use of accurate resources like the library, journals and some internet sites. Research should be a systemic process of the collection of that information (Ormrod , 2023, p. 2). Then analyzing such data to obtain interpretation for a better understanding.  When researching organization of findings is important for the research project. You and your reader should be able to follow your path of where your research is going. Proving what points, you are attempting to make or findings you are conveying. Research should lead to a better interpretation and can also answer questions of those findings that can later be communicated. Researching could also lead to further questioning or different topic pending on the next topic of interest someone may have. Self-enlightenment of a topic is nice but shouldn't be the purpose of your research. The process of researching a topic should help clear up assumptions and arrive at a root cause and effect. Research can also bring awareness to social issues or resolution to problems.

 

 

Sources

Research definition & meaning - merriam-webster. Merriam Webster. (n.d.). https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research

 

Ormrod, J. E. (2023). Practical Research: Design and Process (13th ed.). Pearson Education (US). https://ccis.vitalsource.com/books/9780138088781

 

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D2 reply to lisa

Question:

To what extent has the SAFE-T Act’s elimination of cash bail influenced pretrial recidivism rates among defendants released in Illinois?

Problem:

In 2023, Illinois became the first state to fully eliminate cash bail through the SAFE-T Act. Under this system, judges make pretrial release decisions based on risk rather than the individual’s ability to pay. The reform aims to reduce unnecessary pretrial detention and promote fairness. However, the change has created debate over public safety and pretrial reoffending. Illinois is the first state to adopt this model, so understanding the relationship between eliminating cash bail and pretrial recidivism will be helpful for evaluating the effectiveness and for future criminal justice policies.

Research Problem:

The SAFE-T Act eliminated cash bail and replaced it with a risk-based pretrial system. However, it is unknown if changes in pretrial recidivism following the implementation of the SAFE-T Act differ from states that continue to use monetary bail systems. Without comparing Illinois to jurisdictions with different practices, it is difficult to determine whether the outcomes are caused by the SAFE-T Act or not. The goal is to evaluate the impact of the SAFE-T Act by analyzing pretrial recidivism in Illinois to states with cash bail and varying pretrial detention systems.

I chose this topic because it is still fairly new and seems to be very controversial. When the SAFE-T Act was first passed, we were made aware of the changes, but since I work for a federal law enforcement agency it has not really impacted the way we do things. I was recently speaking with a previous co-worker and good friend of mine that switched to state law enforcement last year about making arrests and the new process under the SAFE-T Act. I had a lot of questions, and I was very curious. A variation of this question was the first one I had, so this feels like a great way to answer that and also see in what ways this policy has impacted fairness and public safety.

d2 reply to Tammy

A major crisis facing the American criminal justice system today is the persistent cycle of reincarceration. According to public reporting from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS, 2021), roughly 68 percent of individuals released from state prisons are rearrested within three years, and more than 70 percent are rearrested within five years. Rather than being driven solely by new criminal activity, high return-to-custody numbers stem from compound barriers during the reentry phase. Research from the Prison Policy Initiative (Couloute & Kopf, 2018) shows that formerly incarcerated people face an unemployment rate exceeding 27 percent and are nearly ten times more likely to experience homelessness than the general public. At the same time, national reports from the Council of State Governments Justice Center (2019) reveal that nearly one in four state prison admissions nationwide are caused by technical violations of parole such as missed appointments, curfew infractions, or unpaid court fees rather than new felony convictions.

To investigate these intersecting challenges through disciplined empirical inquiry, my formal research problem for this proposed study is: The high rate of reincarceration in the United States is driven by compound barriers during the reentry phase; this study aims to investigate the relative influence of housing instability, unemployment, and technical parole violations on three-year return-to-prison outcomes among state parolees. In accordance with academic research standards, this core inquiry breaks down into three testable subproblems: first, measuring the statistical correlation between post-release housing insecurity and time to reincarceration; second, determining whether securing steady employment within six months significantly lowers rearrest rates; and third, assessing the proportion of revocations driven by technical supervision rules versus new law violations.

I chose this topic because understanding why people return to prison is essential for reforming supervision policies and reducing the billions of dollars spent annually on reincarceration. Data from the Council of State Governments Justice Center (2019) show that states spend over 2.8 billion dollars every year just incarcerating people for technical rule violations that pose no threat to public safety. Instead of simply summarizing background literature, this project is designed to test a clear empirical model that compares how different socioeconomic and structural barriers impact post-release success. The study is also highly feasible from a methodological standpoint because it relies on objective administrative data that state agencies already track such as Department of Corrections custody histories, state arrest logs, and Department of Labor wage records rather than relying on self-reported surveys. By isolating measurable independent and dependent variables, this research directly follows the scientific framework from Chapter 2 to produce evidence-based insights into what actually drives prison populations.

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2021). Recidivism of prisoners released in 24 states in 2008: A 10-year follow-up period (2008–2018) (Special Report NCJ 256094). U.S. Department of Justice.

Council of State Governments Justice Center. (2019). Confined and costly: How supervision violations are filling prisons and burdening budgets. CSG Justice Center.

Couloute, L., & Kopf, D. (2018). Out of prison & out of work: Unemployment among formerly incarcerated people. Prison Policy Initiative.

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