week 3

D1 250 words

The Role of Data in Your Research

Describe what data is in research and the difference between primary and secondary data.

Provide specific examples of data that are related to the independent and dependent variables that you included in your research question.

Will these data be available through primary or secondary sources? Will they help you to answer your question?

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

D2 250 words

Validity and Reliability in Research

Validity and reliability are integral parts of measurement in research.

Describe the purpose of both validity and reliability and explain why a measurement instrument must have both.

Link these concepts to your research question and provide specific examples of how you will ensure that the elements of validity and reliability are met.

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

Writing Assignment 3

Judging the Feasibility

Very often researchers become so excited about their topic, they fail to look closely at their topic and determine whether it is feasible to conduct the study. For example, trying to understand the link between childhood poverty and criminal behavior may be beyond the scope of your ability. Utilizing the checklist on pages 123-125 of your text, determine whether your proposed research project is realistic and practical. Format each of the nine (9) questions in the same format as presented in the text. Include a  concluding paragraph documenting whether your project is feasible or not, and why.

You must complete the assignment with a minimum of 500 words. 

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

Research question for reference

Community policing emphasizes collaboration between police and community members through communication, engagement, problem-solving, visibility, and responsiveness. Research question: To what extent is residents’ exposure to or perceptions of community-policing practices associated with their levels of trust in law enforcement and perceptions of neighborhood safety in Miami, Florida? The following literature review examines four studies related to community policing, procedural justice, police visibility, trust, and safety.

Research Questions

All four studies are investigating issues that are very relevant to the proposed research. Hevi et al. (2022) explored the impact of community policing experiences on public trust in police, psychological safety, and community well-being. Nix et al. (2015) studied the relationship between procedural justice and collective efficacy on trust in police. Yesberg et al. (2023) explored the connection between police visibility and community involvement and collective efficacy and the moderating role of trust in police fairness in this relationship. Finally, Peyton et al. (2019) explored the effect of positive non-enforcement contacts between police officers and residents on police legitimacy and cooperation.

Despite differences in topic, all four studies are focused on one question: how residents perceive and experience police activities and what the implications are for their perception of law enforcement and communities.

Theoretical Framework

Procedural justice forms a robust theoretical base for the proposed research due to its explanations regarding how people's interactions with authority affect trust and legitimacy. The theory is based on factors such as decision-making fairness, treating people with respect and dignity, providing clear and transparent information, and allowing individuals to voice their concerns.

Nix et al. (2015) made a direct link between procedural justice and trust in the police, whereas Yesberg et al. (2023) analyzed trust in the fairness of the police as a mediator between police presence and community outcomes. Peyton et al. (2019) employed similar concepts, including police legitimacy and good police-community contact. Hevi et al. (2022) concentrated on the experiences of community policing and their connections with trust and psychological safety.

In combination, these viewpoints justify the proposed relation between the independent variables of police presence, communication, fairness, responsiveness, and community engagement and the dependent ones of trust in law enforcement and neighborhood safety. Procedural justice is especially appropriate since the research is focused on residents' perception of police activity rather than mere police presence or crime.

Methodology

However, all four studies utilized quantitative methodology even though they varied in design. Hevi et al. (2022) administered a survey to 474 community members and employed structural equation modeling to investigate connections between experience of community policing, trust, psychological safety, and community wellbeing. Nix et al. (2015) analyzed surveys of 1,681 respondents regarding procedural justice, collective efficacy, and trust in police.

Yesberg et al. (2023) analyzed three rounds of surveys of London residents and used multilevel structural equation modeling to investigate police visibility, trust in police fairness, and collective efficacy. Peyton et al. (2019) conducted a randomized field experiment in New Haven, Connecticut, to compare experiences of residents who had positive, non-enforcement contact with police versus residents who lacked it.

Results

The four studies identified a positive association between constructive interactions between the police and the community and good results for the community. Specifically, according to Hevi et al. (2022), positive police-community encounters had a relationship with trust, psychological safety, and community welfare. Nix et al. (2015) concluded that procedural justice was one of the sources of trust in police.

Yesberg et al. (2023) indicated that police visibility had a connection with trust in police fairness, which had to do with collective efficacy. According to the authors, police visibility might be insufficient to generate positive effects. Peyton et al. (2019) concluded that positive nonenforcement interactions increased the perceptions of police legitimacy and cooperation. The results indicate that the quality of interactions and residents' perceptions of fairness could matter more than police presence itself.

Pertinence to the Present Research

The four studies provide direct support for the proposed Miami research. Nix et al. (2015) support the hypothesis that perceptions of fairness are associated with trust in law enforcement. Yesberg et al. (2023) support examining police visibility and its relationship with perceptions of police fairness. Peyton et al. (2019) support examining communication and meaningful police-community engagement. Hevi et al. (2022) support examining perceived safety alongside trust.

The studies also reveal a gap. Their settings include Ghana, London, and other U.S. communities, but they do not specifically examine the proposed relationships among residents in Miami, Florida. The present study will address this gap by examining police visibility, communication, fairness, responsiveness, and community participation in relation to trust in law enforcement and perceived neighborhood safety.

Summary

Overall, the literature indicates that positive police-community experiences, procedural fairness, and constructive engagement are associated with greater trust and more favorable community outcomes. The findings also suggest that police visibility by itself may not produce trust or safety; residents' perceptions of fairness and the quality of police interactions are important. Procedural justice therefore provides an appropriate framework for explaining the proposed relationships.

References

Hevi, S. S., Ketemepi, G. E., Dorkoo, C., & Wuttor, A. (2022). Community policing experience, public trust in the police, citizens' psychological safety and community well-being in Ghana. Safer Communities, 21(2), 123–136. https://doi.org/10.1108/SC-08-2021-0032

Nix, J., Wolfe, S. E., Rojek, J., & Kaminski, R. J. (2015). Trust in the police: The influence of procedural justice and perceived collective efficacy. Crime & Delinquency, 61(4), 610–640. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128714530548

Peyton, K., Sierra-Arévalo, M., & Rand, D. G. (2019). A field experiment on community policing and police legitimacy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(40), 19894–19898. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910157116

Yesberg, J., Brunton-Smith, I., & Bradford, B. (2023). Police visibility, trust in police fairness, and collective efficacy: A multilevel structural equation model. European Journal of Criminology, 20(2), 712–737. https://doi.org/10.1177/14773708211035306

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